Separate Souls
by LiveBreatheVampires
Summary: A world where vampires & humans co-exist. Damon is a young, kind vampire whose nature has prohibited him to see & accept the cruel, violent world around him. But when a certain young human girl is auctioned & bought by the Salvatores, Damon starts to see the world for what it really is & starts to question the true meaning of good & evil, justice & injustice. Full summary inside
1. Chapter 1

**Hi guys! So basically this is my new story. I've been planning it for quite a while now.**

**Brief idea of what the story is about: The story will start when Damon and Elena are children and it will continue to when they are teenagers/young adults. Damon is a young vampire (Or, is in the process of becoming one as Vampire Mythology will be different) He has a kind and gentle nature and he is therefore blinded to the real world out there. However, when Elena is auctioned and bought by the Salvatores, Damon will slowly be exposed to the real world out there, one in which things aren't always what they seem and not everything is like what Damon was taught in school. It will be a story of what Damon and Elena will go through to fall in each other's arms, about social injustice and inequality, fear, pride and pain and finally the inner battles these two characters, especially Damon, have to face. **

**Rated M for dark themes, involving abuse, violence and profanity.**

**Would like to thank ThroughMySoul44 and PorkChopSmall, two amazing friends and writers, for helping me out with the story and supporting me. Special thanks to ThroughMySoul44 for the title as I chose her suggestion after both writers both suggested a list of titles. The image of the story is inspired by Bound, Gothic Love (Slavery "Chains" are obviously a key feature in the story)**

**Vampire Diaries does not belong to me, all rights go to the CW, LJ Smith, Julie Plec and everyone else making a profit from the show.**

**Thank you for your support, please Review**

* * *

Damon looked around, a sigh escaping his lips. He was on the beach, scooping up handfuls of sand and letting them slip through his fingers while he listened to the calming sound of the waves hitting against the shore. There were plenty of families swimming and enjoying the summer sun, but he wasn't in the mood to participate.

He wanted to be alone which, quite frankly, was ironic seeing as he hated being by himself. But the recent events shattered everything around him. All he wanted was to hide away and grieve in his own way, not caring what others thought of him.

"Damon." His mother appeared by his side, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "It's time to go."

He nodded, not wanting to look at his mother, not even once. The boy had seen the pain in the woman's eyes for far too long, and far too often. Sadly, this pain only augmented after Enzo, her nephew and Damon's best friend had perished. The disease had killed him, turned him into nothing but ash. He was spared the details, but Damon wasn't stupid. He knew that Enzo had suffered greatly before his death. His mother's pale, lifeless face was validation enough.

As soon as Enzo was going to be placed in that casket, Damon was going to be lonely again. That was the worst part of all. He had always been incredibly lonely as a child, and with his only friend gone, things were going to become worse. He sighed and took his mother's hand as they walked to the cemetery where his friend was to be buried and Damon unwillingly let a tear stream down his cheek.

* * *

** 3 Months Later **

"Damon, it's your twelveth birthday," Camilla Salvatore said when she looked at her son whose gaze was locked to the television screen. "You can't keep doing this. It's been three months now and you need to move on."

"You know that I'm unable to make friends, mom," Damon sighed, tapping away at the game on his smartphone, "Enzo was my only hope. He was my friend."

"Oh, honey," Camilla sighed. "Your father and I are so worried about you."

"My father?" Damon scoffed. "The only thing my father cares about is trying to make me a man. I haven't transformed fully into a vampire yet, he cannot pretend that I'll be strong as he is."

"Your father knows that it's dangerous out there," Camilla quickly said. "You shouldn't say such things. You've lived for only twelve years, your father and I have lived for a hundred. He only wants you to be able to protect yourself."

"You know it's not true," Damon said. "He made me kill our neighbour's cat. He knows that I can just have blood bags instead, that there was no need for me to kill it. Stop defending him, mom. He broke you enough already."

"Don't talk like that about your father, he loves us," Camilla looked sternly at her son and it was then that Damon realised that he had to shut up.

It was one battle he would never win. His mother was blinded to the things that went on in their house and defended the way his father acted. He was a harsh man, demanding and strict. His appearance was everything to him and he would do anything to keep that up, no matter who he hurt. Damon tried to distance himself as much as possible, but it was hard to avoid his own father.

"I heard that the mayor is bringing a new supply in town, today," She said a few minutes later.

His bright blue eyes grew wide at her words.

"Supply of what? Humans?"

"Yes," Camilla sighed.

"Never thought I'd see one," Damon replied passively. "Have you ever seen one?"

Camilla bit her lip, glancing at the blood Damon was drinking. She knew that she could never explain this to her son, whose kind nature prohibited him from seeing things the way they really were.

"No," She lied. "I'll take you to town tonight. It wouldn't hurt to know who'll be living close to us."

"I learnt at school that humans are vampires' pets," Damon said after a few moments. "According to my teacher, a vampire should own one because the human brings out the superiority in a vampire. What are they exactly? A new breed of cat or dog?"

Camilla cringed at her son's innocence. She couldn't tell him about the horrors of the world out there, not when she herself didn't agree with what was being done to the humans. Her husband Giuseppe, however, had his own views about the world out there and she could not, and would not, dare ever express her thoughts with him.

She looked at her son and saw kindness and goodness written on his face. In all honesty, she didn't want to take him to see the poor humans suffering, but Giuseppe had told her that they should be there as this was a special event and that Damon should not be blinded to what lies beyond Mystic Falls. After all, Giuseppe had said, it had been too long since there was a human in town and they should consider themselves lucky that the mayor brought a supply of humans so that they could buy them and keep them as slaves.

"You'll see tonight," She sighed, turning back to the kitchen.

* * *

As soon as Giuseppe arrived home from work, Camilla immediately told her husband that she had informed Damon about the new supply in town. To her surprise, he congratulated her for doing as he asked her, stating again that it'd be good to show Damon what the real world offered. He fought frequently with her because of this and often blamed the woman for Damon's character. According to Giuseppe, their son was weak because of her and her own upbringing. He never wanted a son who was kind and passive. He wanted a son who was aggressive, violent, and took whatever he wanted. It was, according to Giuseppe, the only way they could survive out there.

Damon threw a light shirt on and followed his mother. Young vampires were always accompanied by an adult in times like this, even though Mystic Falls had never been involved in a real war. He sighed as people greeted Giuseppe, treating him with respect because of his high position in the vampire authority. After, they walked through the open market, occasionally glancing at the items for sale, but then, Damon was startled when he heard crying.

A large crowd of vampires descended on to the town square, all gathering, pushing and shoving to get to the front. Curiously, Damon made a move forward, but his father clamp a large, strong hand on his small shoulder.

"What is that?" He asked.

"Oh, the humans must've arrived," Giuseppe said, a smirk forming on his face. "Come on, Damon. It's time you met the human-the real enemy."

"What?" Damon's eyebrows raised, remembering what he had learnt at school. "I thought humans were pets. I didn't think they had the ability to cry."

"You and your nonsense," Giuseppe snarled at Camilla, "Your son is weak."

"I'm sorry, Giuseppe," Camilla said, the fear evident in her voice. "I wanted to spare him the details."

"It is a woman's job to ensure that the son knows what to expect as soon as he reaches a certain age," Giuseppe spat. "You failed miserably in that task. Come on, Damon. Let me show you what a human is. What they really are!"

Damon was led to a large area in which vampires were gathered around, their gazes locked on the cages that were being unloaded from a large merchandise truck. Damon tip-toed and looked at the cages, trying to get a clear view of these 'humans'. He was surprised to find none. He frowned and looked down and around, but still, no hideous monster or creatures caught his eye.

"Where are the humans, mom?" Damon asked her in a whisper.

"There..." Camilla whispered back, "In the cages."

Damon looked again, this time his eyes widened when he realised that the people in the cages were no monsters. They didn't have four legs like dogs or cats did; there was nothing strange about them. In fact, they looked like a normal vampires did: Some pale skinned, other slightly tan, hair on their heads, two arms and legs. They looked normal. And that was what surprised him most.

His gaze fell on a girl of about nine or ten years old. She was a brunette, and her eyes were chocolate brown, full of tears as a local police officer led her by the chain which was currently tied around her neck. She stumbled forward and out of the cage, bumping into one of the officers. He bared his fangs, causing her to shriek as he shoved her away from him.

"What is he doing to her, mom?" Damon gasped, "Why are they treating them like dangerous dogs?"

"Humans are pets, my son," Giuseppe smiled.

Damon's eyebrows narrowed in confusion. "But...they are no different than us..."

He didn't have the chance to finish his sentence because his father had already slapped him with so much force that his head snapped sideways. While he didn't exactly feel the pain, he fully felt the humiliation when vampires around him started to whisper.

"Never, ever compare a human with a vampire!" Giuseppe nearly screamed, "Or it will be the last thing you'll say."

"I'm sorry...father," Damon said, his voice shaking and his face heating up.

Giuseppe's gaze locked with Camilla's, the same way he always looked at his wife for her failure as a mother. Damon's throat was taut and dry, anticipating his mother's eyes to meet his, but they never did. She simply stared at her hands, positioned slavishly beside her husband.

"The performance is about to start," He smirked sickly after a while, watching as two police officers tied a woman to a column in the middle of the square they were currently in. Damon didn't have the chance to react to this because before he could register, the two police officers began to hit the woman mercilessly.

"No!" Damon yelled, looking up at his father, "Why? Make him stop! You can stop him! He's hurting her!"

"You're weak, my son. That's not a vampire out there-That's a human. A pet, an object. She cannot feel anything. She's a monster."

Damon quieted a little at that, and noticed that the woman was, in fact, quiet as if she was not feeling any of the blows against her skin. She didn't cry or scream, she just stared straight ahead, flinching every so often when the whips tails cut into her flesh once again.

"See? That's the devil's child," Giuseppe said. "You're afraid of the devil, aren't you, boy?"

Damon wanted to speak, but an unfamiliar scent suddenly filled his nostrils, immediately stopping his words. He turned around to see vampires around him celebrating, their fangs elongated. Somehow, they were all running towards the woman. Damon froze on the spot and it was only when he inched closer that he saw blood running down the human's neck and vampires licking at it.

"What's going on?" Damon asked, fear overwhelming him when he continued to watch the gruesome spectacle, "What are they doing to her?"

No one paid attention to him, but Damon turned around at the sound of someone crying. There, in the corner, was the young brunette he had seen a few moments before, who was crying at the scene in front of her. At that, Damon only became more confused-Giuseppe had said that these monsters do not cry. He turned to talk to her but before he could even move, another police officer grabbed the young girl by her chain and locked his eyes with hers. The girl seemed to be in a trance for a moment, however she then shrieked harder.

"Human girl for auction here!" The police officer screamed, covering the girl's mouth with a gag and securing it tightly at the back of her head. Damon noticed the tears streaming down her cheek and his eyes narrowed in confusion. Somehow, he couldn't see a monster or a 'devil's child', all he could see was a girl.

"Starting price 1,800 dollars! Makes an excellent pet!" The man shouted.

"I'll give you 2000!" Someone screamed.

"3,000!"

The girl desperately tried to escape the officer that was holding her, whimpering behind the gag.

"Shut up, bitch!" The police officer snapped when the girl continued to scream. His hands closed around his belt and he unbuckled it, prepared to hit the girl.

"No!" The word left Damon's mouth long before he could stop it. Giuseppe turned to face him, his eyes cruel as they pierced Damon's.

"I mean," Damon justified, looking at the small girl, "I'm going to buy her."

"Damon..." Camilla started, "What are you saying? You know that you..."

"It's my birthday," Damon cut her off and turned to Giuseppe. "You can buy her for me as a birthday gift. You said that I ought to know what the world is made of. This is my chance."

"A human is no toy, it's a pet," Giuseppe warned him.

"I know that now," Damon lied.

"And what do you plan on doing with her?" Giuseppe asked him.

"She'll be mine. I'll train her to keep me company," Damon continued, looking at the girl's brown eyes, eyes that were looking at him in utter fear.

"Done," Giuseppe said after a while, surprising Camilla. "It will be a good idea for Damon to learn to control his inferiors. Don't screw this up, my son."

Giuseppe looked at the crowd. "I offer 10,000 for the girl," He screamed out loud.

"5-4-3-2-1..." The police officer smiled, "The girl is now sold to Mr. Salvatore. Well done."


	2. Chapter 2

Wow! What an amazing response! Thank You so much!

Huge thanks to my beta PorkChopsmall!

* * *

Chaos.

Damon's head whipped around, trying to accept the situation around him. Humans crying, vampires pushing around to see them, cages, whips…

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, his gaze falling on the girl they had just bought. Tears were streaming fast against her cheek as she struggled against the police officer, clearly not wanting to be handed over to Giuseppe. The police officer growled, pulling at her chain, causing her to cry harder. Her eyes locked with Damon's and she started to tremble, causing her to trip over her own feet.

"Weak bitch!" Giuseppe snarled, rushing over to the girl and grabbing her roughly from her arm.

She continued to shake violently, whimpering at the pain she was feeling. She flinched at the harshness of his father's tone, being pushed and shoved by every vampire that came past her. Now that he got a better look at her he could see the marks and bruises that covered her tiny arms and wrists and he stared at them, unable to utter a single word.

"Hold the chain," Giuseppe ordered Damon harshly, pulling Elena until the end of the chain was in Damon's hands.

"What? Can't I just unchain her?" Damon protested, looking at the small girl who was about to break down in front of him.

"No you cannot unchain her!" Giuseppe snapped, "Does she look like a vampire to you? Have you not learnt anything? Do you let a dog walk around with no leash on, boy?"

"I'm sorry, father," Damon nodded fast, in fear that he'd get a beating.

"Start walking home," Giuseppe said after a while. "Camilla, take them both home. I have some papers to sign regarding the purchase. I will be home tonight."

"Tonight when?"

"I said, tonight!" Giuseppe roared, causing Camilla to turn into a shade of red when she saw people staring at them, "The rest does not concern you. Now do as I asked, and get the girl some clothes and make sure she knows how to behave when living with a superior."

Camilla nodded her head sheepishly and turned around, occasionally glancing at Damon. Damon was still stunned, he could never understand how his mother allowed Giuseppe to treat her like that. He turned around and his gaze locked with the girl's, who was still crying silently.

"Hey," Damon said gently, taking her chin in his hand. "Why are you crying? I'm not going to hurt you."

The girl just shook harder, but before Damon could speak, his mother gave him a stern look. "Stop it. Don't talk to her. She's a pet."

"No," Damon replied. "I refuse to believe that." He reached out for the girl and started to pull slightly at the chain, in hope that he'd free her.

Camilla put a rough hand on his shoulder, surprising him. Unlike his father, Camilla had never once touched her son with anything other than tenderness. Her nails dug into his skin and she bent down so that her face was at the same level as his. Her normal, calm and collected face was now panicked and worried, eyes widened.

"Are you out of your mind, Damon? She's a pet! What part of that can't you understand? Keep the chain on and you better start to treat her as one, or your father won't be pleased."

"She's mine," Damon argued. "I can do whatever I want with her."

"You're still a minor," Camilla snapped, "Now stop it and hurry up. We need to get the girl a few outfits and other necessities. You can go back home and wait for me there. Pick a spare room for her and keep her in there. I don't want her running around the house."

"Yes, mom…" Damon said at last, tugging slightly on the girl's chain. Camilla gave him a small nod.

"I'll see you at home."

* * *

"I meant what I said earlier, you know…" Damon said lightly, trying not to scare the girl. "You don't have to be afraid of me."

Silence.

"Can you tell me something about yourself?" He tried again, "I'm so curious. I mean, I've only heard about you at school…"

Again, silence.

"What's your name?" Damon tried again, looking into the girl's watery brown eyes. She just stood there, immobile, and cried.

Damon sighed, her lack of response irking him. "What the hell's your problem? I'm trying to get to know you."

She continued to sob, and at that, Damon shot her a cold look and tucked on the chain harder. He didn't mean to hurt her, though, but when he heard the agonizing scream coming from her mouth and found her on the floor, little scratches forming on her tiny thighs, he froze. He hadn't meant to harm her.

"I'm sorry!" Damon apologised, offering her his hand.

The young brunette just looked at it in fright. The last time she took a vampire's hand when she fell down, she ended up being savagely thrown across the room. She whimpered, ignoring his hand and got to her feet with difficulty. She kept stumbling and whimpering whenever he put pressure on the sore parts of her body.

Damon stared at her. It was obvious that the girl was deadly afraid of him but he couldn't understand why. It wasn't like he had done anything to hurt her. He hadn't raised a hand on her or threatened her. Yes, he had raised his voice, but that was only to get her attention. He didn't mean to be nasty to her, but she was frustrating him so much!

He decided not to talk to her, however, after looking around several times he came behind her and swiftly unchained her. She looked confused for a moment, using her new freedom to take a small step back and away from him.

"Don't run," He warned her. "I'm fast. I'll catch you. I just don't want you to trip again."

She nodded, her brown eyes piercing his. It wasn't like she had the strength to move.

Damon took her hand in his and pulled her along until they finally reached his house. It was luxurious, and they had a lot of land. He was already imagining playing with Elena there, after all, that was what he truly wanted from the girl. He wanted her to be his friend, to accompany him. After Enzo's death, his situation went from bad to worse. He hardly spoke to anyone, he was always alone at school and spent a lot of his time listening to music. Because of his father's position in the vampire authority, he also learnt to never trust anyone, as many people tried to befriend him in order to be close to his father. Enzo was the only one who truly cared about him as a friend.

He sighed. How could he befriend her, if she couldn't even look at him properly when he talked to her? He opened the door for her and she walked inside slowly, hugging herself. Damon guided her inside with a small smile.

"I hope you like it here," He added awkwardly.

The girl just blinked at him. Sure, she was nine years old, but she wasn't a baby. She knew everything that was going on around her. She knew that she was sold to a family of vampires, she knew that vampires were dangerous and vampire-men even worse. Yet Damon, for some strange reason, didn't. He seemed to be cheerful about all of this, as if he hadn't done anything wrong by purchasing her. In fact, judging by the smile on his face as he led her to his room, he seemed to be quite sure that she could be happy there with him. She couldn't…not when she was bought. Not when every ounce of freedom was drained away from her.

"I'll make sure to take you horseriding and swimming," He continued excitedly.

Elena just remained there, motionless. Did he not realise that she was not like him? That she was now a slave? That he couldn't ever take her to these places, because her purpose there was to serve him? Why was he promising her such things, and almost treating her as an equal? Was it just to hurt her more? She hated that feeling and was only waiting for him to blow up and be like everyone else. He was a vampire. They were not capable of kindness, that much she knew. They were the monsters.

"Hey," Damon continued, unable to understand why the girl looked so sad even after he said all of this.

Why wasn't she happy that she was 'bought' by him? He saw this as adoption. Dogs and cats liked it when they were adopted by people, right? Why didn't Elena? Wasn't she also a type of pet, according to his father? Weren't pets made to be loved, to entertain, and to love back?

Her eyes slowly met his.

"I just want to be your friend," Damon said quietly. "I'm all alone in this world, you know."

She kept biting her lip and Damon looked at her, annoyed. "Why aren't you talking to me? What have I done to you?"

She started to cry again as his voice got louder.

"Stop crying," Damon said in a slightly quieter voice. "I can't understand. What have I done to you, girl? Why are you scared? Is it because of my father? If he's the problem, then don't worry. He'll be travelling soon for a few months as he has some work to do. He won't bother us. My mother's nothing like him. Come on, let me show you to your new room."

Damon took her hand in his and she finally offered him a small smile. He smiled back and led her to one of the most luxurious spare bedrooms.

"My mother will get you some clothing, and I'll ask her to buy you some toys and girl stuff. My room is next door so if you need anything, you just ask me, okay?" He reached out for her but the girl took a step back.

"Anyway…" Damon cleared his throat awkwardly. "You can have a shower if you like."

He left, leaving the poor girl stunned.

…

"Did you get her the clothes, mom?" Damon asked Camilla as soon as she walked through the door. He seemed too excited.

"Yes," She said. "I have some clothes for her."

"What about toys and other necessities?"

Camilla's eyes widened. "What?"

"She'll be living here, mom." Damon reasoned.

Camilla's heart wanted to break at her son's innocence. He was too good, too good to live in a world like theirs. Sighing, she took his hands.

"I think we need to talk, Damon."

Damon's eyebrows raised in confusion and he followed his mother. Camilla sat down and looked at him sternly.

"Damon…the human is not a part of our family in any way. She's not our friend, if anything, she's an enemy."

"An enemy?" Damon repeated, puzzled. "Why?"

"She's human, Damon," Camilla said. "She's not one of us, and this makes her our enemy."

"Dogs and cats are not one of us, either, they aren't your enemy though!" Damon pointed out.

Camilla flinched a little. "Damon, my point is that you cannot get attached to her. Your father bought her for you to train you to always respect your race. Someday, your father will retire. He wants to make sure that you follow in his footsteps so that you'll be in authority."

"I don't want to be mean."

"Your father is not mean, Damon," Camilla said. "He's a person who has a lot of demands because he likes obedience."

"No, mom," Damon said. "A man should never hurt a woman."

Camilla looked down, almost in embarrassment. "Damon, you cannot get attached to this girl. You cannot treat her as an equal. She's a slave and she's here to serve us. That is all," She said firmly. "I don't want you spending time with her. If you want to make friends, talk to people in your school. She's a slave and nothing more."

"But I thought that-"

"Stop it, Damon," Camilla snapped. "I don't want you spending time with her. You're just her owner and you'll command her to help you with things around the house. I'll also have her help me cook and clean. This is the last time I'm going to speak to you about this matter."

She turned around and went to place the clothes in the washing machine.

"I can't understand," Damon said, his lips almost wobbling.

"There are things you don't know," Camilla replied sadly. "Things you don't understand. But I'm your mother and I know best. Don't get attached to the human, Damon. She's not one of us."

* * *

When Giuseppe arrived later that evening, it was late. As soon as Camilla heard the door bell ring, she finally gave Damon the permission to start preparing the table. Damon was quick to set up the table for four, but Camilla stop him.

"The girl eats after we're finished," Camilla warned him sternly. Damon didn't have the chance to argue, because his father strolled in, threw himself on a chair and started to drink wine as if it were water.

Camilla was quick to serve him the freshly cooked chicken, knowing that he'd be mad if he didn't have dinner ready when he got home.

Damon sat down patiently and Camilla instructed the young girl to serve them the side salad. The girl hurriedly walked over them, the plate in her hands and started to serve each of them a good portion of the cold potato salad.

As soon as she went over to serve Giuseppe and saw him looking at her coldly, evil written on his features, her hands shook and the plate jerked in her hands, causing the salad to fall on Giuseppe's shirt. He let out an animalistic growl before she could even blink, and soon she found herself thrown to the floor savagely.

"Stop it, dad! It was an accident!" Damon screamed when he saw fury written on his father's face, "It was an accident!"

"Giuseppe!" Camilla pleaded. "Please."

Damon jumped up from his seat and put himself between his father and the girl. If his father was looking for a fight, he would have to go through his own son first.

"Move out of my way, Damon!" Giuseppe snarled, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white. "She did that on purpose!"

"No…Giuseppe, she's just a girl."

"A girl?" Giuseppe snarled, "What the fuck's her name, anyway? She didn't even have the decency to speak to her superior politely or even introduce herself!"

"She's a child!" Camilla said, but was silenced when Giuseppe's hand met her cheek. Damon came to stand in front of her protectively. "Dad, please…just stop."

"Unbelievable," Giuseppe spat, looking down at the girl. "We bring a human home and then all of a sudden everyone loses their minds. Some things never change, huh, Camilla?" He continued to roar, and then turned to the girl who started to sob.

"Stop crying! What's your name, you ungrateful child?"

"She's scared! You're scaring her! She might not understand English for all we know!" Damon screamed, not even realizing what he had just said. He just wanted to save the girl from his father's wrath.

"She doesn't understand English, you say?" Giuseppe roared, his hands closing around his belt and unbuckling it swiftly.

Before Damon had a chance to speak, the belt crashed on the girl's back two times, causing her to cry out in pain. She was clawing at the carpet, trying to escape the blows, but it was no use. Giuseppe pressed his boot down on the hem of the girl's dress, holding her down and in place as he brought his belt down for the third time.

"What are you doing, you're hurting her!" Damon exclaimed, watching as the poor girl whimpered in pain.

"Do you want me to stop, girl?" Giuseppe said cruelly. "Do you?"

"Please, sir…" She begged.

"See? She understands English just fine!" Giuseppe continued cruelly, giving her another three blows as Camilla held Damon, keeping him from intruding.

"I fucking lost my appetite," He snarled at them both. "I'm going out." He threw the plate full of food on the floor. "Pick them up," He ordered Camilla. "And do something worthy, for once."

He disappeared, leaving the girl broken, and Damon and Camilla immobile.

"Take her to her room," Camilla instructed Damon lightly.

"Mom…"

"I told you, Damon!" Camilla cried out, "I told you what would happen! Never intrude while your father is speaking!"

"What did you expect me to do? Just let him beat her?"

"Yes! Exactly!" Camilla replied, "Exactly! She's not one of us, Damon! Don't break this family apart because of her."

"Family? What family?" Damon spat, taking the girl by her arm and leading her to the hallway to the spare bedroom, guilt settling in his heart when he saw how bad she was crying.

He tried to help her to bed, but she was so scared that she refused his help. She climbed up and put her head in the pillow and cried. Her small hands clutched the blanket and she stayed on her side. Damon knew her back was sore and that's why she wasn't sleeping on it, but he didn't know what else to do for her. She was just so scared.

He sighed out loud, turning off the side lamp and plunging the room into darkness. He could still make out her quivering body with his vampire vision. Damon's heart broke but he decided to remain quiet, leaving the room and the girl alone.

"Damon?"

Damon turned around in surprise. She hadn't moved, but it was definitely her who spoke. Her voice was shaking a little, but the tears had stopped. Slowly, he saw her as she turned her head over her shoulder, watching him closely.

"Elena…My name is Elena," She said, before turning to her pillow again, burying her face in it.

Damon froze a little before smiling. "You have a beautiful name."

At that, he left the room, feeling more confused than ever.

* * *

**As you can see, Damon does not understand how Elena feels. In fact, he is almost hurt about the fact that Elena's afraid of him. To him, she is not a slave, but obviously, his parents do not agree. **

**Please Review**


	3. Chapter 3

**Wow! Thank you for your amazing reviews!**

**Kindly note that the story is rated M for abuse, both child abuse and domestic violence as well as general dark/upsetting themes. Please do not read if you find these to be extreme.**

**Would like to thank my beta PorkChopSmall. **

**I do not own the Vampire Diaries but this fanfiction is mine.**

* * *

Elena tossed and turned. Sleep couldn't come that night and her body was hurting badly. Whenever she laid on her back, the pain just increased. It was uncomfortable lying on her stomach, but it was the only way she could position herself without putting pressure on her back. At least the pain wasn't too bad this way. She knew that vampires were monsters and that they were probably going to kill her soon.

She clenched her eyes shut, the darkness in her room making her even more fearful. She wanted her teddy bear badly. Mr. Fizzles always seemed to comfort her whenever she was in pain or was having a nightmare. Most of all, though, she needed her family.

Her body finally started to relax and she let herself snuggle closer to the pillow, which was comfortable enough. Soon, she drifted off in a deep slumber, her eyes falling shut from tiredness after such a long journey and a long cry.

* * *

Damon couldn't sleep.

All he could think about was the tiny girl currently sleeping in one of the spare bedrooms. Whenever he closed his eyes, all he could see was Giuseppe beating her up. He knew that his father was evil because he raised his hand on Damon and Camilla often, but he didn't think that he would actually hurt a young girl. Damon was thought that girls needed protection and care, vampire girls at least. What was so different about Elena? She was young, not older than nine years old for sure.

Most of all, she was scared.

Yet somehow, both his mother and his father disapproved of him befriending her. Why the hell did they allow him to buy her, then? He knew that his father mentioned something about being 'superior' to her but Damon hadn't really paid any attention. His father gave him speeches about being 'superior' very often, even encouraging him to spend time with children his age that come from rich families or authority members. He loved his pride and Damon knew that he'd kill to keep it.

Camilla, on the other hand, was not like Giuseppe. Sure, because of Giuseppe's insistence she couldn't ever leave the house without dressing in fine clothes and shoes, even if it was just to pick Damon up from school. She was not allowed to work, as Giuseppe stated that it was a wife's job to ensure that the house was clean and to raise Damon to live in high standards, standards that were suitable for 'children of the authority members'. Because of this, Giuseppe always insisted that Damon learns to be tough.

Damon knew that this was why his father hated him so much-he could never do half the things Giuseppe expected him to do. He didn't want to be cruel or feared. It was bad enough that kids avoided him at school, except for the ambitious ones or the rich ones. The fact that his mother was with his father regarding the human was confusing him greatly. It wasn't like Camilla to encourage him to make people feel inferior.

He sighed, staring at the ceiling. It was then when he heard a soft whimper coming from Elena's room, and out of pure instinct he flashed towards her. He knocked on the door softly but when she didn't reply, he opened it and walked in.

"Elena?"

The girl shot up from the bed, looking at him with fear in her eyes. He walked towards her but soon realised that with every step he took, the girl just pressed herself tighter against the headboard. The blanket was drawn up to her neck, knuckles turning white with how hard she was clenching the material. He could see her shaking but she didn't move anymore, her eyes locked onto him.

"Elena, it's okay. It's me," Damon said awkwardly as he closed the door behind him.

He took a step closer to her and when she didn't flinch, he sat down on the bed next to her. Her eyes were wide, like a deer caught in the headlights, but he didn't comment on that. His intention wasn't to make her more uncomfortable around him.

"What's wrong, Elena?"

She bit her lip.

"Please, talk to me…" Damon pleaded. "I have no friends. I thought that we could be friends."

Elena looked at him with teary eyes. She needed friends too…She needed safety and protection and love. He was a monster…

"Why are you so afraid of me?" He asked her again.

He couldn't understand how hurt he felt by her lack of communication. It ripped his heart apart and he longed to know why she was so scared. If she was scared, all she had to do was tell him and God knows he'd find a way to earn her trust. He wanted her to see him as a friend. He didn't know why, but when he saw her on the market nearly being publicly whipped, he knew he had to step in.

"What have I done to you?" He asked in wonder, taking her hand in his gently.

A tear slipped from her cheek and he wiped it away.

"Tell me," He pleaded.

"You're a vampire," She finally said.

His eyes widened a little, firstly because she seemed to realise that he was a vampire yet to him, it was the first time meeting a human, and secondly because he couldn't quite make out what the problem was. Sure, he was a vampire…So what?

"Yes," He confirmed. "I'm a vampire."

When he didn't elaborate, Elena continued. "I'm human. We are not exactly compatible."

Damon's eyes furrowed even more. "What? Why not?"

She stared at him. He really seemed blinded to everything that was going on. How could he not know this information? How could he not know about the war going on out there?

How was she supposed to explain that as a human in a city full of vampires, she had no rights? That he could hurt her and feed from her whenever he wanted, that he could make her do very bad things and beat her until she was unconscious?

He waited patiently for her answer.

"It's nothing, Damon…just forget all about it, please," She begged him. "I'm not here to talk. Ask your mother-she'll agree with me. So please just get along with it."

"Get along with what?"

"I don't know. With whatever you bought me for, I guess."

"I already told you…I just bought you because I thought we could be friends," Damon said, not understanding why she refused to believe such a simple sentence.

She blinked several times. "That's all you want from me?"

It was Damon's turn to blink. "What else would I want?"

Elena shrugged.

"Why were you crying when I first walked in, Elena?" He asked her softly a few minutes later.

"I had a nightmare," She admitted.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No, I'm fine." She offered him a small smile. "Thank you for coming here, though. It was thoughtful of you."

"You're welcome," He smiled back, hopping off the bed and wrapping Elena up in blankets. "I have to go to bed, but if you need anything, just wake me up."

"Okay," Elena nodded.

He turned away from her, a smile on his face. Before he closed the door, however, he turned to face her again. "So…I guess we are friends, then? We're good?"

Elena looked at him before nodding slightly. He seemed nice enough and she didn't want to ruin his good mood, so giving him what he wanted wasn't hard. She could pretend to be his friends, if only for a little while.

He gave her a wide grin and walked back to his bedroom.

Little did he know that the worst was still coming.

* * *

"Good morning, Damon," Camilla said with a smile when he walked in the kitchen. To his surprise, he found Elena already there, looking slightly afraid as she washed the dishes.

"Good morning," He said, looking at the plate full of pancakes that Camilla had prepared for him. He took a bite and looked at Elena. "She's helping you out?"

"Yes," Camilla said.

"It's thoughtful of you to offer help, Elena."

Camilla looked at Damon with a slightly cold expression on her face. "Damon, I already told you. Elena is our slave. She'll be expected to do chores even if she does not want to."

Damon's mouth opened and closed like a fish, ready to protest, but Camilla silenced him with a cold stare. Camilla turned to Elena and with authority in her voice, said, "Leave us. Make the beds."

Elena scurried off, not even glancing at Damon. Camilla picked up a tea towel and started to dry the dishes herself as Damon stopped eating the pancakes.

"You don't have to treat her like this," Damon said slowly. "You always told me to treat everyone as an equal. You're not my father."

"Your father is right about this one," Camilla snapped. "And we shouldn't have intervened yesterday. He bought her for you…if he wants to punish her he can do so and we have no legal right to interfere."

"Legal right? Since when do we have to be permitted by the law to save a girl from being beaten?"

"Since humans came into town," Camilla responded quickly.

"No, I refuse to be a part of this!" Damon protested. "It's not fair! And you know what's also not fair, mom? You not giving her food! Where's her breakfast?"

"Elena is entitled for hot drink in the morning and one meal in the evening. I gave her that."

"What?" Damon's voice became louder, "This is insane! What the hell has gotten into you, mom? You're not usually like this!"

"I'm sorry, Damon," Camilla replied. "But your father is right."

"Tell Elena to clean the bathroom. I have to go out," She said after a while. "Your father might be here any minute now. Don't talk to him-He'll probably return home drunk. Just do whatever he says and try not to cause any trouble when he gets back."

Damon nodded carefully and Camilla gave him a soft kiss on his forehead. "I love you, Damon. I hope you know that."

She disappeared, and Damon stood there, frozen. When he was sure that Camilla was out, he flashed towards Elena and found her struggling to reach the huge bed. Every time she straightened the sheets, they creased again. She was crying, rubbing the material down and trying to get rid of any imperfections, but it wasn't working.

"Elena…"

"Damon, I have to m-make the b-bed," She stammered, a tear escaping her cheek when she realised that the sides were not equal, "Please leave me alone."

"Hey," Damon took her chin gently in his hand, "Shh. It's okay! Why are you crying?"

"I don't know how to m-make it…I've never made a bed before!" She cried, "Your mother's going to be mad at me."

"Shh, I'll help you," Damon said softly, going to the other side of the bed and pulling slightly. "Pull slightly to the right, that way the bedspread will be equal with the sheets," He explained lightly. Elena nodded and did so.

"See?" Damon smiled at her, trying to ease her nerves. "Now come on. You deserve some pancakes."

"No," Elena's eyes widened. "Your mother told me that…"

"My mother is not here," Damon cut her off and grabbed her hand softly. "And my father isn't, either. You can't not eat anything…I don't care what they say."

He guided her to the kitchen and gave her half his pancakes, opening the fridge to get her the chocolate syrup. She thanked him and bit hungrily into the pancakes, surprising Damon.

"I'm sorry," She apologised, "I hadn't eaten a proper meal in a week. They only gave us some crackers and water for the entire trip…"

"You don't have to apologise," Damon said. "But why didn't they give you food? Where do you come from, Elena?"

"I…I don't want to talk about it," She said, her eyes fearful again as she set the fork down.

"It's okay, we don't have to talk about it," Damon said, trying to keep her calm. "Eat your pancakes before they get cold. Do you want me to pour you some strawberry juice?"

"Strawberry juice?" Elena smiled a little. "I haven't had that in ages! Yes, please, Damon!"

He smiled and hurried into the kitchen, pouring a big glass of strawberry juice for both of them. He also grabbed a candy bar, making sure to choose one with a pink wrapper for Elena. He knew how much girls liked pink, and he wanted to give her something she liked. Smiling, he picked up the glasses, and walked back to the dining room.

Only he froze when he saw Giuseppe standing next to Elena's chair. He had one hand fisted in her hair and he was forcing it down on the plate, Elena crying as the face was pressed into the plate of food. His other hand was on her thigh, pulling at her flesh as Elena continued to cry at the pain.

"Dad! Leave her alone!" Damon ran towards his father but he shot a hand out, pushing Damon from in front of him and causing him to fall on the floor. His back crashed against the hard tile and he let out a whimper at the pain.

"What the fuck is she doing in my dining room?" He roared, the alcohol evident in his breath. "Why the fuck is she stealing our food and sitting in my chair? Why isn't she chained up in the basement?"

"Dad, please! She was hungry! I gave her some food, she didn't steal anything!"

"She was hungry, you said!" Giuseppe pushed her head harder into the food and yanked her hands back, causing Elena to gag as her head crashed against the plate, the force cutting off all oxygen as she was forced to keep her head down.

"Dad, please, just leave her alone!" Damon begged him, "If you want to punish anyone, punish me!"

"I will, don't worry!" He growled, pulling Elena off the chair and savagely throwing her on the floor.

"I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry!" Damon begged him. "Please don't hurt us…"

"Take her to the basement," Giuseppe ordered cruelly. "I want you to chain her up and then I want you to come back here."

"Please, dad, don't make me do this…"

"Attached to the human I see!" Giuseppe snarled, yanking Elena's head back. Her gaze fixed with Damon's and he saw the tears streaming down her cheek. "Take her to the basement and chain her up, or so help me God, I will make you do much more to her than that!"

Afraid of the threat, Damon tried to fight off tears as Giuseppe threw the girl to his direction like a rag doll. She let out a sharp cry and Damon tried to calm her down, but she couldn't. With tears threatening to run down his cheek, he led her to the basement. He couldn't even stomach to look at her as he slightly yanked on her hands to chain them up in front of her.

She was sobbing and shaking, unable to stop. Damon hushed her a little, running a hand through her matted hair clumping together from the pancakes. It only made her cry harder and Damon's heart just filled with complete dread. She hated him now, he just knew it.

His hand dropped from her head and hung at his side, locking the door shut behind him.

With tears in his eyes, Damon returned back to the dining room where Giuseppe was. For the first time in a long time, Damon just walked over to the couch and didn't even glance as Giuseppe unbuckled his belt.

* * *

**Basically, Damon is not lying. He just wants Elena to be his friend. He saw hope in her, hope that someone would just accept him the way he is and like him for HIM, and not because he's the son of an authority member. Clearly, Elena's afraid of him and this prevents her from getting to know him. Of course, Giuseppe doesn't want anything to do with Elena , and Camilla, who is abused by him, has to do what he says.**

**As a reviewer said, yes, Giuseppe does remind me of Tywin Lannister!**

**Thanks for reading, pls review xx**


	4. Chapter 4

Would like to thank ThroughMySoul44 for her amazing help on this chapter. Please support her especially her new story Words Unspoken.

Thank you for reviewing.

**Rated M for abuse, including child abuse and domestic violence and dark themes.**

* * *

Damon pressed a small icepack to his face, now puffy and purple, like one big bruise. He flinched at the coldness of the ice, but soon relaxed when he realised that it was indeed soothing the pain. His father had hit him pretty badly this time, maybe even because it was obvious that Giuseppe had too much to drink, much more than usual. What was even worse was the fact that he didn't know if Elena was safe or not. After Giuseppe had beaten Damon senseless, he had locked him inside the dining room and disappeared. Not long after, Damon had heard some screams coming from the basement, and his heart had almost stopped beating at the thought of Elena getting hurt because of him.

Damon threw the icepack back in the extra freezer in their dining room, a tear escaping down his cheeks. He hadn't fully transformed into a vampire yet, so unlike his parents, his bruises and wounds took quite a while to heal. Giuseppe was mad at Damon for that as well. The stern man wanted Damon to finish the transition as soon as possible, but they both knew that nature had to take its course and it wasn't up to Damon to decide when to stop aging.

The door was suddenly unlocked from the outside, but no one came in. Hesitant and scared, Damon took a slight step forward and was relieved to hear the front door close shut again, indicating that his father had left. He ran towards the basement, nearly tripping over his own feet as he desperately unlocked the door, running into the cold room.

"Elena," He murmured, heartbroken.

Elena didn't even look up. She was curled up into a ball, this time on a dirty mattress. She was still chained, whimpering in complete and utter pain. Damon felt his blood run cold.

"Elena…" He said again, walking slowly towards her.

She remained curled up in a ball, but he saw her hug herself tighter when she realised that he was near her.

"Elena, please don't hate me," He pleaded, kneeling in front of her.

Her head remained down, but Damon could smell her tears.

"Please," He pleaded again.

Elena slowly raised her head so that she could face him. When she did, however, Damon let out a gasp and looked at her in horror and disbelief. Her cheeks were swollen, there was a deep cut on her lips, and the worst part of it all were the vast display of cigarette burns on her skin.

Damon took a step back in horror.

"Elena…"

"Don't," Elena cried, tears streaming fast on her cheek. "Just don't."

"This is unacceptable…" Damon's eyes locked with the bruises.

"No," Elena screamed at him, "Don't act innocent, Damon! You know that in your world, this is acceptable! You were agreeing to all of this when you bought me!"

Damon's eyebrows raised in confusion, his eyes widening.

"Please, don't act like you didn't know," She pleaded desperately. "You knew. You know that vampires love hurting humans. You love to make us feel inferior and you love seeing us in pain."

"That's not true!" Damon protested, "Not all vampires are like my father!"

"Are you listening to yourself right now?" Elena continued, unable to stop crying. "I'm a human, Damon! You're a vampire. You are designed to hurt people like me! There is no place for me in a place full of vampires. I'm here only to endure pain, torture and torment."

"No," Damon shook his head, "It can't be. Giuseppe is evil, but not all vampires are like that. I would never hurt you."

"That's what they all said," Elena wiped a tear away from her cheek. "When I was taken from my home, that's what they all said. But let me tell you a thing, Damon. It was a lie. It was a lie, from the beginning. Even my mother lied to me. She told me that they wouldn't hurt me, that no one would ever be so heartless as to hurt a child, human or not. She lied, Damon. They…they all lied to me."

Damon's mouth opened and closed, unable to form a sentence. He swallowed thickly. "Elena, I'm sorry…"

"Don't," Elena said. "Just don't pretend to care, okay? Don't pretend that you bought me because you needed a friend. Just admit that you bought me to hurt me, to humiliate me, and to make me work hard."

"No!" Damon pleaded again, "I can't admit doing so, because I didn't bring you here to hurt you. I don't care, Elena-I don't care what you are. So what? When I look at you, I don't see someone different to me. We are the same, Elena." He picked up her hand and held it in his. "Do you see a monster's hand holding yours?" He asked her, lightly stroking her hand. "Because all I feel is a warm hand. We are the same, Elena."

"Damon," Elena cried, "You are too innocent. We are not the same. Your kind hates mine. You'll grow up to hate me."

"No," He cut her off, "I won't."

"We are natural enemies," She told him desperately.

"Would a natural enemy do this?" Damon asked her, taking out a key from his pocket. He unchained her quickly and rubbed her wrists. Then, he put his hands back in his pockets and took out a few candybars, including the chocolate with the pink wrapper.

"I was getting these for you when Giuseppe came," Damon said sadly. "I'm sorry that he hurt you."

"He hurt you too, didn't he?" Elena replied after a while. Even though she could only see some scratches and bruises, she knew that vampires healed faster than humans, even vampires-to-be, as she called them.

"I'm fine," Damon sighed. "My father is a monster. He hurts my mother, he often beats me…I shouldn't have assumed that he wouldn't do the same to you."

"Why would you assume something like that?"

Damon shrugged. "I don't know. When you were in the market and you were going to be beaten, I just knew that I had to get you out of there. I didn't think that my father would hurt you, because you are too…small," He admitted.

Elena bit her lip.

"Giuseppe will be gone in a few days," Damon cleared his throat. "He'll travel and he won't be back for over a year. My mother is nothing like him. You'll be safe."

"Safe?" Elena wiped a tear from her eyes. "You still don't get it, Damon. I did not come to a vampire village willingly. If you want me to be safe, you'll let me go. I'm not an orphan. I have family, and I can find them and return back to the human village."

At that, Damon's eyebrows raised in confusion. He hadn't thought that Elena could have family to go back to. He knew that it was selfish, but he couldn't let her go.

"I-I c-can't let you g-go b-back…" He stammered.

"Why?" Elena asked him desperately.

"Giuseppe bought you for me," He said carefully. "I can't let you go."

"Then I can never be safe or happy here," Elena sobbed. "I want my family. I want to go home. I don't want to stay with vampires."

"Elena, you don't even know me," He pleaded.

"Please, Damon…just go," She begged him. "Please just leave me alone. Don't bother trying to get to know me. You'll have to do what your parents say, and I will never be anything except a slave in this house."

"Elena…"

"There's no hope for me," She said weakly. "I'm a slave."

"No, you're not."

"It's okay, Damon," She said, resigned, wiping a tear from her eye. "One day, you'll understand."

* * *

By the time Camilla got home, Damon's wounds had healed and he decided not to tell her anything. He only told her that Giuseppe had instructed that Elena should be kept in the basement and that he had hurt Elena when he came home.

"Where's your father now?"

"I have no idea," Damon replied simply.

Camilla nodded. "How's the girl?"

"How do you think?" Damon said angrily, "She's hurt. Giuseppe asked me to chain her up like some kind of animal. She's cold, too. The basement is not exactly a cozy place to stay in."

Camilla didn't say anything.

"Mom, we can't let her stay in there," Damon pleaded.

"Your father called me on my way back home," Camilla sighed after a while. "He didn't say where he was, but he said that he wasn't coming back because he's taking care of some business-related things. He should be back in two days to pack for the business trip. You can tell the human to have a warm shower and I'll teach you how to take care of her."

"I will," Damon said quickly.

"Damon," She stopped him, "Elena is a slave. She is no different than any other pet. I'll be teaching you how to take care of her and control her so that you won't bother your father about it. She'll need food, clothing, and she'll need to learn to obey your commands. You'll be the one to punish her if she fails to do so."

"Mom!" Damon protested, "No. Elena is not a dog! I can't just 'train' her to do as I say! That's injustice! Just because she's not a vampire doesn't mean that she is not a perso-"

He was cut off by his mother's hard stare. "If you're not going to do as I say, I'll have Giuseppe take her away from you. You cannot disobey your father. Your father bought her for you to train you to take advantage of your superiority. You'll be expected to do that when you start to govern when your father retires."

"Governing shouldn't be about stealing from people or scaring them because you're superior!" Damon snapped, "I have no desire to govern the same way my father does. He's a thief and he is not respected. People act like they respect him because they fear him. That is not respect at all."

"Like it or not, Damon, your father wants you to learn his method. He has instructed me to teach you to be like him while he is gone, and you will have to learn to take advantage of your superiority. Elena is inferior and therefore you are her master. This is no time to contemplate justice and injustice. The entire world is unjust. You were born a vampire, she was born a human, and that gives you the right to control her."

Damon decided that it would be best to shut up. After all, Camilla couldn't do anything. She was basically a slave herself. He had seen how Giuseppe treated her and he knew that his mother was deadly afraid of him. Instead, he nodded his head and went to the basement, leading Elena by her arm to the bathroom. She was already shivering violently and it made Damon pity her greatly.

"Elena," He spoke when she froze in front of the bathroom, "Get in here. You can shower and then you can join us in the living room in front of the fire."

Elena didn't make a move.

"Elena, you don't have to be afraid," Damon said again, showing her the nice and pleasant smelling shower gels, towels and a white cotton robe. "You'll feel better. It's what I do when my father beats me." He gave her an innocent smile.

"I…" She mumbled, "You'll get out of the room?" She asked, hesitant.

Damon frowned. "Of course I'll get out of the room! You need your privacy."

Elena blinked several times. "You'll get out of the room?" she asked, this time surprised.

"Why wouldn't I?" Damon asked in confusion.

"So I don't have to strip in front of you?" She inquired innocently.

At that, Damon froze. He started to stammer, unable to believe what he was hearing. "Of course not, Elena! Do you really think that low of me?"

Elena didn't say anything.

"Just…have a warm shower," He said, leaving the room in an instant.

* * *

Camilla watched Damon as she folded the clean clothes. He was helping her put the laundry away, and she was grateful for that. It had already been a stressful day. As soon as they were done, Camilla heard the door unlock and Elena came out, hugging herself. She looked up at Camilla in fright, but then relaxed slightly when Damon smiled at her.

"Good shower?" He asked her.

"Y-Yes…" Elena stammered, still scared of the cold look Camilla was giving her. Her hair was clinging to her face, still damp, and she looked even smaller and vulnerable.

"For God's sake," Camilla hissed at Damon as droplets of water fell from Elena's hair to the floor, "Dry her hair, will you?"

"Mrs. Salvatore, I can do it m-myself…"

"It is a master's job to ensure that the slave is not a nuisance," Camilla said coldly. "Damon, dry her hair."

Damon hurried to the wardrobe, getting the hairdryer without a single word. He plugged it in and turned to Elena, whose lips were wobbling and was actually shaking in fear. He helped her sit down and she kept her head down as he started to part her hair, before pointing the hairdryer at her beautiful locks. The warmth made Elena feel good and she instantly relaxed as Damon ran his fingers through her hair, surprised by how smooth and silky it was.

Camilla watched them both carefully, and she knew that if her heart was still beating, it would've started to beat faster at the thought of Damon and Elena together. The way Damon talked to and about Elena surprised her. She had never seen her son so happy and she had never seen him talking to anyone except Enzo. She was scared, though. She saw herself in Damon…and she saw her lover in Elena. She knew, deep in her heart, that even though Giuseppe was harsh, he was right about this one. Humans and vampires couldn't live with each other unless one of them was serving the other and was nothing more than a slave. Seeing Damon so content and so tender, the woman pushed the thoughts away and forced a smile.

"Come on, Damon," She said after a while. "Let me teach you how to braid her hair."

She took the comb from Damon and started to comb Elena's hair carefully, Damon watching her like a hawk. Moments later, he spoke up.

"Elena…do you want me to braid your hair?" He asked gently.

She froze. She never expected that he'd give her a choice.

"Yes," She said after a while.

Camilla remained frozen, and Damon looked at her again, his face cold and determined. "She's not a doll mom. And she's not a pet."

He took a seat and watched as Camilla braided Elena's hair, and then he repeated the movements, occasionally glancing at Elena. When they were done, he secured it with an elastic and smiled.

"Do you like it?"

Elena nodded slightly and Camilla shifted uncomfortably. "Come on. Let's go watch some television," She suggested.

Elena and Damon both followed her to the living room, but Camilla soon made Elena serve them the drinks and sandwiches, insisting that Damon should remain there even though he wanted to help. When Elena carried all the food with difficulty, Camilla allowed her one sandwich and turned the television on, Elena still standing.

"Sit down, Elena," Damon said, throwing himself on the couch.

"No," Camilla insisted, "Elena sits down on the carpet. A slave should always sit by her master's feet."

Damon's mouth hung open in shock, and Elena could feel tears in her eyes at the humiliation. She sat down on the carpet by their feet and Camilla turned the television on. The small girl bowed her head, no longer interested in the anomaly of the invention. Again, Damon started to protest but surprisingly enough, he made up his mind about it pretty quickly.

Instead of verbally assaulting his mother, he picked up his plate and glass, moving to where Elena sat on the carpet. Only the rumbling of the voices from the television filled the silent room. His action had shocked everyone. Still, he did not even glance at his mother, not once. The boy could already imagine her expression, and he didn't care. Injustice was still injustice, and that small boy could feel it in the depths of his heart. That's the fascinating thing about children. They are brought into this world seeing things as they should be, rather than how they are. Children are innocent, too young to already be tainted by the evils of society. Damon was just that and he acted on his instincts in that moment.

He set his plate in his lap, quietly adjusting his position before turning his eyes toward the girl.

"Now we can start the movie…" He said, looking at Elena.

She didn't hesitate to meet his gaze, those bright blue eyes sparkling like pools of ocean water beside her. Since she had arrived, Elena had struggled to look into them without shuddering. Somehow, she couldn't keep her eyes off of them. This boy was different. She knew that now.

For the first time, the young girl looked at Damon Salvatore with nothing but sheer respect and she tugged the corners of her lips up ever-so-slightly.


	5. Chapter 5

Would like to thank ThroughMySoul44 for this chapter, as I hated it at first...I hope you like it.

Thanks for reviewing and please keep them coming.

* * *

Naivety comes with being young. Most children have not lived long enough to fully understand the true corruption of each and every society, not because they are ignorant, but because they are innocent. No civilization is perfect, all come with some form of barbarity, and so naivety protects us temporarily to this harsh truth. Damon would continue to push his limits, not because he was a bad child, but because he was inherently good. Unfortunately for Damon, naivety could only protect him for so long.

"Mom, I'd like for Elena to help me in the garden today," Damon said the next morning when he found his mother busy preparing their breakfast and dinner. In reality, he just wanted to spend some time with her without his mother warning him about keeping his place every five seconds. He hated it and he hated the fact that she said those words in front of Elena. His mother obviously didn't keep Elena's feelings in mind and it pained him with all his heart. Even so, he had sworn to save Elena from the humiliation of constantly being degraded. His father was not home, thankfully, and it was a sunny day outside.

Camilla wiped a hand over her forehead but Damon had already taken Elena's hand.

"Damon!" Camilla snapped, "Let go of her hand, right now!"

Damon didn't even pay any attention. He just led Elena outside and she glanced up at him shyly when he allowed her to sit down on a bench next to their large trees. The fresh smell filled Elena's nostrils and she breathed in, enjoying the outdoors.

"Comfortable?" He asked her after a while, offering her the familiar chocolate wrapped up in a pink wrapper.

"Seriously, Damon?" Elena smiled after a while. "Chocolate at ten in the morning?"

"It's dinnertime somewhere in the world," He chuckled, handing it to her anyway.

It was a dark chocolate bar with a strawberry filling, and it was the best thing that Elena had ever tasted. He smirked when he saw that her mouth was entirely covered with the strawberry cream and he reached out to wipe it away.

"Thank you," Elena said after a while, but then, something inside her changed. Damon was her master. He wasn't supposed to do these things for her. "Damon-I mean m-master…"

"Master?" Damon's eyebrows raised in confusion. "Elena, don't."

"My mother told me everything I needed to know," Elena said after a while. "She never mentioned a vampire who would treat me the way you are treating me now."

"What? Why are you so surprised about the fact that I'm treating you like I'd treat any other person? What is it about this superior and inferior crap?" Damon asked her, his voice nearly pleading. "I've neverso much as gotten a cold look from my mother. She always told me to treat people right. Yet somehow, when she sees me talking to you, she just loses her mind. I expect it from my father but not from her."

Elena bit her lip. "Damon, please, I don't want to talk about it. I shouldn't be explaining these things to you."

"Elena," Damon said with a sigh, "Just tell me one thing. Tell me why, why is it so wrong for us to talk like this? Tell me that you don't want this kind of treatment from me and I'll just do what my mother says."

"It's not about that, Damon," Elena wiped a tear from her eye. "Do you think I want to be humiliated or hurt? I would much rather have someone like you as my owner-"

"Friend," Damon corrected her.

Elena sighed. "Owner. In the eyes of the law, you're my owner. In the eyes of the vampire society, you're my owner as well. But yes, in my heart, you are a friend-at least, I am starting to consider you as one."

"So what is the problem?"

"It cannot happen like this. You'll hate me when you grow up. I don't want to lose a friend, Damon."

"I would never hate you," He promised her. "Why is that so difficult to understand?"

"My people have done bad things to your people," Elena let out a choked sob and closed her eyes. "Bad, bad things."

His eyes widened. "What things, Elena? What things?"

"Please, Damon, I d-don't know," Elena begged him. "I don't remember, but it's what my mom says. My people hurt your people…and your people hurt my people."

Damon took a deep breath and sighed. "It doesn't matter, okay? Let's change the subject, I don't care. This is not our fight."

He stood up and remained still in front of Elena, as if in deep thought. "Do you want to play tag?"

Elena's eyes lit up. "Tag?"

"Yes," He smiled.

"Of course!" She beamed and he smirked, holding his hand out. "Tag, you're it!"

"Hey, that's not fair!" Elena protested, but ran after him anyway.

He was obviously faster than her but she still had a good laugh in hiding behind trees so that she could unexpectedly 'tag' him. All was going well until Damon was running quicklyafter her and Elena tripped over her own two feet. She fell on the hard ground and let out a cry of pain when she felt a cut forming in her knee. Damon looked at her in shock and reached out to help her, but suddenly froze at the smell of something amazing, something he had never quite smelled before. His gaze locked with the droplets of blood running down Elena's leg, almost compelling him to focus on nothing else except them. Just then, Elena screamed and he was brought out of his daydreaming, only to find her curled up on the floor, her hands covering herself.

"Please don't hurt me," She wailed.

He opened his mouth to speak, only he jumped back in fright when he realized that he was also on the ground, his mouth just inches away from her bloody knee. Damon's ears were picking up the rapid thumping of Elena's heart, her blood calling him, enthralling his young eyes. It was like nothing he had ever felt. What was happening to him? He then caught his reflection in a small puddle of water and froze when he saw dark veins covering both sides of his face, and a terrible pain in his jaw. The panic loomed.

"Mom!" Damon screamed in horror, holding his jaw.

Camilla came out in the garden faster than a lightning bolt. She ran straight towards them both and knelt by Damon's side, panicked. "Damon! Damon, what's wrong?"

"My jaw…my gums," Damon sobbed. "I can't…What's happening to me? My face…"

Camilla froze and turned to look at Elena, who was hugging herself in fear as she sobbed. Her gaze locked with the blood on Elena's knee and for a moment, she felt confused. Damon was still too young to be ready for the responsibilities of being a fully transformed vampire. It wasn't supposed to happen, not when he was still too young.

She looked at her son and breathed a sigh of relief before realizing suddenly that no fangs had appeared and that his sobs were quieting down. She held him in her arms for a few minutes until it was so quiet that she could nearly hear his faint heartbeat.

"Damon," Camilla said after a while. "Go to the living room. You and I need to talk."

"But mom…what about Elena?"

"I'll take care of her, okay? Just do as I ask."

Damon finally nodded, giving Elena one last look before disappearing inside.

* * *

Elena followed Camilla with difficulty and the woman led her to the bathroom. She was trembling by the time Camilla sat her down on a chair.

"Stop shaking. I'm not going to hurt you," Camilla spoke gently, for once.

"I'm so s-sorry," She sobbed. "I haven't done anything to Damon. When I f-fell, h-he…"

"You don't have to explain," Camilla said with a sigh. "Now come on, let me see if the cut is deep."

"You don't have t-to, Mrs. Salvatore…"

"I used to be a doctor," Camilla cut her off. "Even as a vampire. I worked with vampire children."

Elena remained quiet as Camilla took a deep breath and looked at the cut. It wasn't deep, and the blood was already drying. Camilla put a pair of disposable gloves on and began cleaning the area gently, and when she was done, she put a plaster on it.

"It's just a scratch," Camilla said. "You'll be fine."

"Thank you," Elena said, through tears which were mostly from when she had seen Damon's face. Camilla nodded her head slightly.

"Elena, please stay in your room," She asked her quietly.

Elena swallowed thickly. "Of course."

* * *

When Camilla went back to the living room, Damon was sitting on the couch, his head buried in his arms. Camilla walked over to him slowly and touched his arm, but he jerked back as if he were scalded.

"What happened to me out there, mom?" Damon pleaded with tears in his eyes. "The pain...My face, it was so ugly and scary and-"

"Damon, calm down," Camilla told him, "Just please, calm down."

Damon took a deep breath. "I need answers."

Camilla sat down, fidgeting. "Damon, I think you know as much as I do that you do not have certain…gifts that your father and I and other adults have. For example, you are not as strong or fast as we are, and you survive mostly on cooked food, and you don't really like blood."

"Yes," Damon nodded his head. "Until I grow up, right?"

"Until you transform," Camilla corrected.

"Transform? Transform into what?"

"Into a vampire," Camilla said slowly.

"But I am already a vampire…" Damon protested, his eyes wide in confusion.

"No, Damon," Camilla said after a while. "You, Damon, are in the process of becoming a vampire."

"I don't understand," Damon said, "If I'm not a vampire, then what am I?"

Camilla shifted uncomfortably. "All you need to know is that inside of you, there is a part of you that is a fully transformed, strong vampire. Eventually, you'll have to let that part in, and ignore the other part. Today was the first sign that you can become a vampire."

"What?" Damon's mouth hung open. "H-How? Why-"

"We didn't tell you because the men in our family start the process of transforming when they are around eighteen years old. As you very well know, vampires do not age and we are immortal. We are lucky enough that we get to decide when to stop the aging process-if we want to stop it at all. The signs you saw today were the first indication of your body telling you that you are ready to become a vampire."

"Then why were you so worried?" He asked her.

"Because even though your body is ready for it, I don't know if your mind is," Camilla told him honestly.

"Why? Why is it so wrong to be a fully transformed vampire?"

Camilla bit her lip. What could she tell him? That he'll be heartless, unless he fights for his humanity like she did? But then again, if she told him about his human side, Giuseppe would kill her and he'd kill Damon.

"It brings a lot of responsibilities," She lied after a while. "Listen to me, Damon. Your father has been waiting for this moment for a while now, but he must not know that you are ready to transform. He'll force you to become a vampire and he has the ability to stop your aging. The point when you stop aging is a very serious decision, and it must be taken by you. The aging will stop after a proper ritual is held."

"Mom, I can't understand," Damon said again. "You mentioned that there is another part of me that I have to give up to be a vampire. What part is that? What are you not telling me?"

Camilla slumped her shoulders in defeat. "Damon, it's the _human _part of you."

At that, Damon's eyes widened in shock. He took a few steps backwards and looked at his mother like she was crazy.

"No," He shook his head repetitively. "I'm not human." The thought of how Elena was treated in the village filled his mind and horror sank in his features.

"A part of you is," Camilla insisted, "Those children who haven't yet transformed into vampires are half-human and half-vampire. Every great vampire started from the position you are in now. The vampire part will always fight for dominance, but in order to embrace the vampire nature, you have to give up the human part of you. It'll take a lot of effort to keep a balance between both. That is why I'm telling you, Damon…you can't choose to become a vampire now. Your body is ready, yes, but you aren't. Keep this from your father, and then, when the time is right, you can choose to start living as a vampire and you can also stop aging."

Damon felt like his head was going to explode. "What triggered this early…vampire thing, if I was supposed to get this symptom at eighteen?"

Camilla looked at him without batting an eyelid. "It was Elena's blood."

"Elena's blood?" He yelled. "Why? What does it have to do with it?" Damon looked at the bloodbag by the microwave and then back at his mother. "Mom…the blood I drink at times, that blood…"

He took a step back. "What is it made of?"

There was a long moment of silence, no one moved or took even a small breath. It was as if their lives depended on it. Could Camilla admit it? She needed to be honest, she knew that. It was only fair to Damon. Her throat was taut in fear, forcing the words to sound coarse and dry as they finally left her lips.

"Damon," Camilla said, holding both of his hands, "The vampire feeds on the human."

* * *

**Recap regarding Vampire mythology:**

***Each and every child procreated by two vampires is automatically a Vampire-in-the-making, just like Damon is. In this stage, Damon has some aspects of the vampire but they are not strong enough (E.g. He can survive without blood, his speed and strength are more intense than Elena's, but not as intense as a fully transformed vampire like Camilla) and then there is his human side. The vampire side DOMINATES. **

***At a point in life (In Damon's case, it was supposed to be 18) the vampire side will start pushing the person to 'give up' their human side and start living as a fully transformed vampire. The fresh human blood (Something not commonly found in this story) triggered Damon's vampire side early. He can decide to become a vampire now as his body is ready to bear the changes (Fangs, veins in the face, etc)**

*** When a person decides to fully transform, they get to decide when to stop aging. Most vampires are immortal but only because they chose to. If a vampire wants ALL the vampiric qualities except immortality, they can be mortal vampires. A proper ritual must be held, which will be explained in other chapters.**

***As you can probably guess, Giuseppe hates humans so much because he is to proud to admit that every great vampire started off by having human blood (For him, it is weak and inferior blood) inside of them.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry for the slightly longer wait. I wasn't up to writing lately but I'm back on track :)**

**Thank you for reviewing, and thank you to ThroughMySoul44 for her editing on this chapter.**

* * *

"No," Damon shook his head repetitively in a state of pure panic and confusion. "No."

"Yes," Camilla said, taking a few steps towards him and cupping his face in her hands.

"It can't be. You're lying!"

"I'm not lying, Damon. It's the way things are! It's nature-"

"Nature?" Damon barked, "You can't tell me that this is nature!"

"Damon, please," Camilla begged, turning him around forcefully.

"You knew that, didn't you?" Damon sobbed, "Even my father did! You knew that all along, yet you let me bring her home!"

"I never agreed to this, Damon!" Camilla screamed, "It was your father's idea, not mine. He wanted you to learn how to control your prey and he saw a human slave as an excellent idea. He saw Elena as the first step in making you a strong vampire."

"Strong? Why would anyone consider me strong if I'm hurting a young girl?"

"Damon," Camilla said, "I told you not to get attached to her. I told you, right from the very beginning-"

"It's too late for that, now," Damon said stubbornly. "Do you realise what my father's doing to me? He knewthat I'm supposed to feed from Elenaand still, he let me bring her home with us anyway. He knows that I don't approve of his violence towards others, but he tricked me anyway! And you let him!"

"Damon, you were the one who wanted to bring her home!"

"Only because I didn't know that a vampire is made to feed from a human!" He sobbed angrily, "I knew that she was different and I knew that my father wanted me to show her that I'm superior, but this is not just about my father wanting me to be superior. This is about me feeding on Elena! A vampire _feeds _from a human! I can't even say it, I feel so sick!"

"Damon-" She tried to comfort.

He turned around, his back towards her as a tear streamed down his cheek. "No wonder she was so afraid of me. I'm surprised that she is giving me a chance."

"Listen to me, Damon," Camilla gently nudged Damon's shoulder until he was forced to look at her, "Just because you found out about this does not mean that you have to hurt or feed on Elena. I don't want you to do that, okay?"

"But…"

"Damon, I never approved of your friendship with Elena," She reminded him, "But that does not mean that I want you to hurt her in anyway. But I believe that it would be better if you treat her like you would treat someone working for us. You don't have to harm her, but you have to realise that Elena is a slave and that you are her master. And since you are her master, she must speak to you in a certain way…"

"A certain way?" he scoffed. "By that, you mean that she has to degrade herself everytime she talks to me? That she has to look at the floor or address me as master?"

"Damon…" His mother breathed.

"You know what, mom?" Damon said angrily, "I knew nothing about this vampire-transformation thing,and now I'm supposed to accept the fact that my body is ready to be like you? I don't even know what it means."

"Damon, it doesn't matter," Camilla replied. "You don't have to transform, okay? Life can go on normally, but your father cannot know about this. He'll make you transform even if you don't want to."

Damon finally nodded.

"Don't be angry with me," Camilla said after a while. "I only have you."

Damon sighed, the tears still evident in his eyes. "You should've told me, mom."

"I'm sorry, okay?" Camilla said at last, "I'm sorry."

"I don't want to let go of Elena," He told her after a while. "She makes me feel so happy. I don't know why, but she does.But on the other hand, I feel disgusted. I feel ashamed."

"You don't have to be," Camilla tried again.

"You are afraid of my dad, mom," Damon said as if he hadn't even heard what she said. "This is not you. The old you would never have asked me to degrade an innocent girl."

"What do you want me to say, Damon?" Camilla snapped, "Do you want me to say that I approve of this friendship? I told you a dozen times. She's different. I'm not asking you to hurt her, I'm just asking you to keep your distance and act as an owner, not as a friend. But it seems like you do not want to listen. You are already attached to her, Damon."

"Why is it so wrong? You should be happy for me."

Before Camilla could speak, Damon's eyebrows furrowed. "Save it. I don't want to hear about the owner-slave thing anymore. I'm going out, and I'm going out with Elena."

"Damon, don't you dare-" His mother's voice grumbled.

"Elena!" Damon yelled as Camilla ran after him, but he shook her off easily. "Come here!"

"You want me to boss her around? You want me to treat her as a slave?" Damon barked, looking at his mother through cold eyes, "There. I just ordered her to get in here. If she's my property, then I can do with her whatever I like. Is that what you want to hear? I've chosen to take her out."

Elena emerged from her bedroom, her eyes downcast, hurrying obediently over to Damon's side. The blue-eyed boy picked up Elena's hand and held it in his, using his vampire abilities, which were not that strong but were still useful, to get them both out of there. Camilla wanted to chase after them, but who was she to intrude when she was, in reality, happy for her son? Her only fear was Giuseppe and his wrath.

* * *

"Where are we going?" Elena asked softly, her voice almost shaking in fear. Damon had been walking fast, too fast for her, and she didn't know where he was going to take her. She was still afraid of what happened to his face, and most of all, his intentions. What if he intended to kill her and leave her there to rot?

"You'll see," He said quietly as they stopped by some trees. "Hold my hand tight. It's quite slippery."

Elena nodded and gave his hand a tight squeeze, following him carefully. He helped her down a slight slope and after pushing at a lot of branches, he finally stopped.

"My only friend was Enzo," He said slowly after a while. "We found this place together."

Elena's eyes locked with Damon's suddenly, staring in awe and wonder. The young boy was still holding the branch to one side so that she could pass easily. Then, she turned her head around and nearly gasped at the beauty of what laid behind the seemingly dry grass. There, behind the branches and wilting plants, was a road that led to a hill which was so green that Elena could not fathom the what her eyes were showing her.

"There is breathtaking scenery over there," Damon pointed at the top of the hill. "Do you think you can make it up?"

"I don't know," Elena admitted. "I'll try."

Damon gave her an encouraging smile and led her to the hill slowly, holding her as if she were made of glass. She blushed and after several attempts, they managed to walk to the top. Damon sat on the ground and Elena quickly did the same, waiting for him to start talking.

"This hill…It has always been my favourite place to go to," Damon started. "Enzo and I found it a few years ago and we'd spend hours here, stargazing, playing, eating canned fruit and chocolate-" He laughed at the memory and then turned to Elena. "I never told anyone about this. Being the son of a respected authority member brings with it certain responsibilities. I had to keep my feelings inside and show everyone that I am strong, that I'll be ready to take over when my dad decides to stop working. I was…and still am, unable to make friends because of that. People talk to me because I'm Giuseppe Salvatore's son, not because I am me." He sighed. "And before you, Enzo was the only one who knew the real me. The real person."

"You really think that we can be friends?" Elena asked him innocently as she rested her head on the ground.

He smiled at her. "Of course we can."

"What happened earlier…" Elena stammered.

Damon winced. "I'm sorry I scared you."

"It's okay."

"What? You don't want to know what really happened?" The boy asked in surprise.

"No," Elena admitted. "I don't want to. If we are going to be friends, then we are going to be friends because we like each other. Who we are, vampire or human, is irrelevant."

"You know, you are smart for a nine year old," Damon pointed out.

"I had to grow up faster than other kids, Damon," Elena said bitterly.

He stroked her arm gently and laid back next to her, gazing up to the stars with his piercing blue orbs.

"I really want you to trust me," He said after a while. "I'm not lying…You can trust me."

"I know," Elena replied simply.

"Where are your parents, Elena?" He asked her. "Where do you come from?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Elena spoke gently but firm. "Please. Not yet."

"It's okay, Elena…I know that you need time."

"It's not that I don't trust you," She said a few minutes later. "I know that you mean me no harm. But you have to understand…I am different. I am not as strong as you are. I'm nothing compared to you and that thought frightens me."

"You don't have to be afraid," Damon promised her. "I understand. I feel different too. My father tells me that I'm weak and that I don't even deserve to be called his son. For years I hoped that I could please him, but in order to please him, I was becoming someone else."

Damon turned to face Elena fully. "I promise you, Elena," He vowed. "I will never make you feel inferior simply because you're human. Just tell me what you want of me and I'll make sure that you'll be happy."

"Damon, I appreciate it," Elena said softly. "I know that this is hard for you and I know you are doing your best, but even though you'll accept me, this society will not. I'm safe with you, but I'm not safe with others like you. The only place where I can be safe is ifand when I return back to my village, with my family or people I care about."

"I'm sorry, Elena," Damon told her quietly. "I just hope that you'll be happy here."

"Damon," She tried again. "I can never be happy if I stay here. If you want me to be happy, then please, help me find my family. I know that you want to be my friend and I want to as well, but I will never be safe here. It's not about you, I know that you are doing your best but…"

"Elena, I'm sorry," Damon said quickly. "I can't do that."

"Why not?" Elena begged him, "You can help me. I know that youcan."

"I can't let you go, Elena, please understand that. If I let you go, I'll be nothing. No one. I'll be alone. I told you, Elena-"

"Please, Damon," Elena pleaded. "Just stop. I get it."

"What's going on with you? I thought we could work this out."

"And I told you that this is not about you. This is about me missing my family, about me ending up in a town I don't know with people who hate me and-"

"Fine! I get it, just drop it, okay?" Damon raised his voice a little and Elena stopped, obviously afraid of his tone. A tear streamed down her face and Damon immediately felt guilt bite him like a rabid dog. She turned away from him and hugged herself, curling up into a ball.

"I'm sorry." He said truthfully, scooting towards her to touch her arm.

Elena didn't reply. There was a part of her that wanted to lash out at him, that wanted to tell him that she could never be his friend, that she hated him and the entire vampire race. Then, there was another part of her that pitied him. He was lonely, just like her. Images of her sitting on the floor by his mother's feet beside him played in her mind. He had degraded himself because of her. He had given up his 'superior' standards and fought his mother about it. He got a beating from his father because of her. Certainly, this boy had a heart. What frightened Elena most was that she wasn't just learning to like him or even befriend him because she wanted to remain safe and unharmed by him, it was because she was genuinely interested in him. She wanted to get to know him, and yet he scared her, and she wanted her family back. Maybe what she really wanted was to think of him as a normal, human boy in her village.

Damon waseven more confused than she was. The boy knew that he was being a hypocrite. He couldn't tell her that he was her friend and then hypocritically refuse to set her free. He wasn't stupid-he knew that Elena was in danger. His father had already shown that he could be a threat to Elena. He also knew that he could help her get back to her family, but he was still refusing to do something about it. Damon closed his eyes and sighed. The horrible truth was that he was selfish. If he really had Elena's best interests in mind, he'd set her free. But he couldn't. Wouldn't. Not when he saw hope in her. He just had to try and live with the idea that Elena would grow to like it there with him, and that she'd be happy there. He also hoped that as time went by, she'd forget her family and friends.

As if that were possible.

"Elena," He nudged her arm gently and she looked up at him timidly, her eyes full of tears. "I'm sorry, okay? Please just give me a chance to show you that you can be safe and happy here."

Elena sighed, resigned. "Okay."

* * *

Elena and Damon ended up talking the entire night, and then they fell asleep under the stars. When Damon woke up the next morning, he panicked.

"Elena!" He called, shaking her a bit roughly.

Elena woke up, startled. "What's wrong?"

"We fell asleep!" Damon gasped, frantic."It's ten in the morning. My mom must be worried sick! She's going to kill me!"

Wiping the dirt and leaves off his clothes, Damon shot up and offered his hand to Elena, who was wide eyed, looking at him through fearful eyes. "Damon…"

"I'll tell her that it's my fault," He promised her, "Okay? It's my fault."

Elena grabbed his arm and they ran back to the house, Damon pulling Elena's arm a bit harshly as she struggled to catch up with him. When they finally arrived, Damon took a deep breath and knocked on the door twice, surprised when it swung open. It was usually locked.

Only when he stepped in did he see Giuseppe's sharp eyes stabbing at him as if they were plotting murder and pain. His mother was on the floor, a hand covering her mouth which was bleeding slightly. Damon's throat grew taut instantaneously.

"Where have you been?" Giuseppe roared.

"Dad, I'm sorry, I-" Damon stammered.

"Elena?" Giuseppe barked even harder, "What the fuck were you doing out with my son? Camilla?" He continued, turning to his wife.

"Giuseppe, please…" Camilla begged.

"I return back home to find out that my son has spent the night out, and my precious wife decides to hide the fact that he took our slave with him!"

"Elena's mine!" Damon said bravely, "You said that yourself."

"That's where you are wrong, boy," Giuseppe mocked him. "I paid for Elena with my own money, and the girl just decides to go out whenever she pleases, without asking for permission? Or even worse, without wearing a collar?"

"I told you! It's my fault, not hers!" Damon pleaded.

"Damon, go to your room," Giuseppe snarled. "Now. Camilla, get out."

"Dad, please!" The boy cried.

"Giuseppe…" Camilla chimed in.

"Get out, all of you!" Giuseppe roared,flashing in front of Elena moments later, "She'll be staying here with me. She needs to be taught a lesson."

"It's my fault!" Damon pleaded.

"As a slave, she should've known that going out without my permission is the wrong thing to do."

"I told her to! Please, dad!" The tears were cascading down his cheeks, his lungs heaving desperately.

Giuseppe let out an animalistic growl and pushed Damon with all his strength. He fell to the floor, causing an agonizing scream to spring from his lips when his head crashed against the hard, unforgiving tile. Giuseppe then turned to Elena, who let out a long, shrill shriek before the vampire bared his fangs at her and grabbed her from her feet, pulling her towards him. She struggled and tried to kick him but he kept pulling her down, her body sliding against the floor until she was pinned under his body. Then, without any mercy, he unbuckled his belt and smacked her thighs, holding her hands next to her head. Elena cried in pain, tears streaming hastily down her cheeks, but the pleading tears did nothing to stop the man, and he continued beating her without mercy. He then sunk his fangs into the column her neck, biting down with so much force, Elena believed he had ripped her throat right out.

"No!" Damon yelled, shooting up from the floor and running towards his father. He tore the belt from the monster's grasp, grunting in adrenaline.

"You have disgraced this family!" Giuseppe spat at him. "You're weak! You're nothing! This will not end here, son. This is just the beginning."

At that, he blurred away from him, and Damon was left alone with Elena, who was crying and bleeding out in his arms.

"Ask me again why I can never be safe here…" She mumbled quietly, and then, darkness overwhelmed her.

* * *

**AN: As you can see, Damon is being selfish here. He can't tell Elena he wants to be her friend yet on the same time, he is the one keeping her there. Just because he is treating her kindly does not make everything okay for Elena. The question is, will Elena learn to appreciate Damon's efforts and accept that this is her new life, a life where she is hated by everyone except Damon? Also, in this chapter Damon feels betrayed. If he had known that Elena was to be fed on, he wouldn't have forced her to this world. The fact that his mother hid this from him does not make it easier.**

**We have also learnt that even though Elena is Damon's, Giuseppe still has a lot of control over the situation since he bought her and in the eyes of the law, he is the rightful owner.**

**Please Review and thank you for reading.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Thank you for reviewing!**

**Just wanted to say that Elena and Damon will NOT remain children throughout the entire story.**

**Would like to thank my beta ThroughMysoul44.**

**...**

Damon was curled up on the sofa, the fireplace offering the comfort he needed. It had been a week since his father had injured Elena badly, and he hadn't gone to see her. That night, Camilla had carried the unconscious Elena and put her on a bed so that she could attend to her injuries. Damon had helped her clean the wounds, but other than that, he hadn't seen her.

The truth was, he felt ashamed. He felt ashamed that Giuseppe had done that to her and he was even more ashamed for even thinking that Elena could ever be happy there. How could she? She was most likely kidnapped from her home. She was brought to a village where she's considered as food and she was currently on a bed, crying in pain.

"Damon."

Damon turned around and saw his mother leaning against the door.

"What?" He said, a bit roughly.

"You haven't eaten properly in days."

"I'm not hungry," He said, turning his attention to the fireplace.

"You have to try and-"

"Mom, please just leave me alone."

Camilla bit her lip. "Elena keeps asking for you."

At that, Damon turned to look at his mother so fast that Camilla nearly gasped.

"Elena?" He asked in disbelief.

Camilla nodded. "You haven't visited her."

"I was trying to keep my distance," He said, his voice a sad, somber tone. He wasn't lying-In that week, he was considering listening to his parents and treating Elena as a maid or as a slave and nothing more. It didn't mean that he'd hit or hurt her, it just meant that he had to find new friends to hang out with. Even so, he was surprised by how empty and sad he felt without her. He didn't know why this girl made him so happy. Maybe it was because she was lonely, just like he was. Maybe it was because she, like him, was underestimated and hurt. Whatever it was, he realised that he wanted to spend time with her.

Camilla didn't say anything. During that week, her son was lost and alone. She hadn't seen him like that in ages. As much as she hated to admit it, Elena was the only person who could make Damon smile. For the past few days he was just as lonely as he was when Enzo had just died.

"You can go and talk to her if you like," She tried again.

"Why would I bother? If my father comes and finds me next to her, he'll just beat us again."

"Your father is not here. He'll be at the office until late tonight."

He scoffed. "Yeah, right. That's what he always says."

Damon's words felt like daggers in Camilla's heart. She knew that Damon was referring to the countless mistresses Giuseppe kept. Of course she knew that-how couldn't she? Still, she knew that she couldn't ever say anything. Her husband was the governor. He could have her killed for even attempting to soil the family name. _Oh, the irony_, she thought sarcastically.

"You do whatever you want, Damon," Camilla said tiredly. "I have some ironing to do."

...

After weighing the pros and cons and thinking about what he could say to her, Damon decided to talk to Elena. He knocked on her bedroom door firmly and waited. Afterwards, he heard a small, frightened voice telling him to come in.

There, on the bed, was Elena. She was pale and there were numerous bandages covering her neck. He could see that they were still bleeding and she really looked like she was in pain. She looked up at him timidly and he felt guilt infesting itself in his heart.

"How are you?" He choked out.

"Where were you, Damon?" She asked, fighting tears.

Damon ran up to her side and sat down on the bed next to her. "I'm so, so sorry Elena. I just didn't know what to say or do. This is my fault, I know that."

"It's not your fault," Elena turned around with difficulty. "You weren't the one who did this to me."

"Stop it, Elena. I know you blame me. I know you hate me for keeping you here."

"I don't hate you."

He turned to face her. "You don't?"

"I don't. It's not your fault. You didn't know what I was for when you bought me. Now you do. You know that I'm food, yet you still treat me humanely."

Damon closed his eyes. "I'm sorry I got you into this mess."

Elena sighed. "Don't be. In all honesty, Damon, I doubt I'll ever see my family again. If you hadn't purchased me that day, someone else would've."

"Look," Damon said after a while, "If I hear something about your family, I'll tell you, okay? But I can't promise you that I can give you back to them. I just can't. I'd be lying to you if I say I can."

Elena nodded her head weakly. "They are probably dead."  
"Don't say that." He sighed. "What's your last name, Elena? I can try and keep an eye out for the name. I'll ask my mom to take me to the slave market. There are names there."

"Gilbert," Elena said quietly. "Elena Gilbert."

Damon nodded and reached out to stroke her arm in comfort. "You'll get better soon, Elena. My dad is leaving just after the Christmas holidays. We'll be fine."

Elena smiled and soon, they ended up talking and laughing. What they didn't realise, however, was that Camilla was sitting down on the floor by Elena's door, sobbing as she held on to the Gilbert coat of arms that was always hidden under her shirt.

…

Days passed and Elena started to recover. Soon, she was back on her feet, helping Camilla with the chores. What Elena found strange was the fact that after her recovery, Camilla talked to her more often, asked her more about her family and took an interest in her. This all changed when Giuseppe was at home, however, because when he was at home neither Damon nor Camilla even dared to talk to her. She knew that Damon was afraid that she'd get another beating because of him, so he usually pretended to ignore her when Giuseppe was around.

The festive season had officially begun and Elena quickly had to adjust, because now even Damon seemed to be a bit focused on the Christmas trees and dinners. In fact, Elena was a bit scared that he was bored of her since they hadn't really been talking. But she was proved wrong when Damon hurried down to the basement one day and handed her more blankets.

"Don't let my father see that you have these," Damon said in a whisper. "I convinced my mother to let you stay in the spare bedroom when my father's gone. You'll be more comfortable there. I know that it's cold…but my father will not approve."

Elena smiled at him and thanked him for the blankets.

"He just left for work," Damon sighed, sitting on the mattress next to her, flinching when he realised that it was not comfortable at all. "We just brought the Christmas tree in. Do you want to help me decorate it?"

"What if he returns unexpectedly? He wants me to stay here."

"My mom went to work with him today. She'll text me to tell me when they are on the way, that way he'll find you here when he returns."

Elena's face lit up. "Okay, then!"

Damon took her hand in his gently and helped her up. He looked at her and Elena was confused for a few seconds.

"That pyjama is way too thin," He said, more to himself than to her. He quickly took off his own sweater and put it over her head.

"What about you?" Elena asked innocently.

"I don't feel the cold as much as you do," He replied with a smile, holding her cold hands underneath his warm ones.

"Thank you, Damon."

"You're welcome. Come on, let's decorate the tree together."

The two children ran to the living room and Elena let herself have fun. There, Damon had already brought in three boxes which were full of Christmas decorations and lights. Elena's face lit up when she saw the beautiful stars and angels.

"I made some of them," Damon said, showing her an angel with gold wings. "I love Christmas."

"You made this?" Elena asked in disbelief, touching the ornament, "Wow."

"Thanks," He smirked. "Come on, let's put it on."

Damon started to decorate the top part of the tree and since Elena was shorter, she focused on the lower part, hanging the ornaments and wrapping the tinsel around the tree precisely. When they were all done, Damon took the huge star from the box.

"Do you want to put it on?"

"It's too high for me," Elena admitted.

He smirked and grabbed her from around the waist, lifting her into the air so easily as if she were made of plastic. She laughed and managed to wrap the star, until Damon lost his balance and a soft scream escaped her when he landed on the floor with her crashed against his chest.

"Ouch," Damon muttered when he felt Elena's weight on top of him, and she started to laugh at him.

"You're so dead!" Damon pushed himself forwards and grabbed her from her arms playfully before pinning her down on the floor and starting to tickle her without any mercy.

"Oh my God, Damon, stop!" Elena screamed as happy tears fell out of both eyes.

He just tickled her harder until she was breathless and he let her go. They stood in front of each other before Elena hesitantly moved forwards and wrapped her arms around him. Damon was confused for a second, but he hugged her back, holding her gently as if she were made of glass.

"Thank you for this," She said, giving him a childish kiss on the cheek before stepping back.

"You're very welcome," He replied before clearing his throat. "Come on. There are still many stickers to stick on the windows."

Elena followed him and soon they were putting stickers all over the glass doors and windows in the house, as well as putting lights on. When they were done, Damon took out a statue from a brown wrapping paper.

"What is that?" Elena asked.

"That's a statue of baby Jesus," Damon said with a sigh. "My father wants my mom and I to follow his religion."

"You don't believe in God?" Elena asked him, watching him carefully.

"I don't know. All I know is that it's ironic-He wants us to put this statue in the middle of the living room so that we can remember what Christmas is all about yet he does not even respect his own wife and son. Going to church does not make you a Christian as much as going to the garage does not make you a car," He pointed out.

Elena laughed at that.

"Honestly, though. I don't know why he even bothers. All he cares about is violence and the family name. Maybe he acts religious because of the family name as well. The Salvatores used to be huge benefactors of the church."

"A world full of hypocrisy isn't it?" Elena asked sadly.

"Yes," He admitted. "Nothing's fair about all of this."

There were a few minutes of silence before Damon spoke up again. "Come on, let's go make something to eat in the kitchen."

Elena followed him to the kitchen and watched Damon take out six large tomatoes from the vegetable drawer, as well as a packet of mozzarella.

"Tomatoes stuffed with mozzarella," Damon smirked. "We deserve a snack. Do you mind bringing the parsley? You can help me stuff the tomatoes."

Elena brought him the parsley from the cabinet, happy to know that she'd be helping him cook. She was really enjoying herself that day and she wanted to let him know that despite the situation she was in, she was appreciating his efforts.

Damon started to cut the tomatoes and he encouraged her to do the same, showing her how to use the knife as she didn't even know how to properly hold one. Then, they started to fill each tomato with mozzarella, parsley and more herbs. When they were done, Damon put everything in the oven.

"So, Elena," Damon said as he pulled out a chair for her, "What would you like for Christmas?"

She laughed.

"What?" Damon asked, confused.

She stopped laughing when she realised that he was dead serious. "Are you serious?"

He nodded.

"Damon, you know that I cannot own any things. Your mother explained this to you while I was recovering. I heard her."

"I don't care," Damon said quickly. "Tell me, what do you want?"

"There's nothing I really want," Elena said softly.

"You're a nine year old girl, Elena. Surely there's a new toy you'd like?"

She bit her lip and even though she hadn't said anything, it was screaming in Damon's ears. _Her parents. _She wanted her parents.

Before he could say anything, though, his phone beeped and he hissed when he realised that it was his mother, telling him that they were heading back home.

"Your mother?" Elena asked.

"Yes," Damon said, sadness evident in his voice.

Elena nodded her head weakly. "I'll go back to the basement then."

"Elena…"

"Damon, it's okay," Elena said, forcing a smile. "I'm fine."

…

When Giuseppe and Camilla returned, it was four pm. Giuseppe gave his son a quick nod as he threw himself around the table.

"I see you decorated the house," He commented. "It's nice."

"Thanks," Damon replied stiffly.

"You cooked," He pointed at the tomatoes as Camilla put the chicken in the oven. She looked to where Giuseppe was pointing and smiled at her son.

"We can eat them as a side-dish," Camilla suggested, earning a bad look from Giuseppe. He hated it when she interrupted him.

"This normal food is useless," Giuseppe said. "We should start living on blood."

"Damon's not a vam…"

"I don't care," Giuseppe snarled at Camilla, "He's going to be a vampire one day. A vampire should not eat food."

Camilla didn't say anything, instead she just started to clean the kitchen. Damon sat there, awkwardly, looking at his father drinking from a blood bag.

"The chicken's ready," Camilla said after a while, taking out four plates.

"What are you doing?"

Camilla turned to look at her husband.

"You miscalculated," He said.

"What?"

"There are four plates, not three."

"I know, Elena will eat after we're done, but-"

"No, you are not understanding me, Camilla," Giuseppe spat, "Elena will not eat today."

"What?" The word escaped Damon's mouth before he could even stop it.

"She needs to learn to appreciate what we give her, and the only way for her to appreciate that is if we, at times, deprive her of it." Giuseppe reasoned. "Now hurry up, Camilla."

Camilla glanced at Damon whose eyes were dark with fury. She handed them the plates without a word.

"Give me Elena's portion," He ordered his wife, making Damon even more furious.

They ate in silence, with Camilla occasionally looking at Damon. She realised that he wasn't really eating, all he had eaten was the salad.

"Not bad," Giuseppe commented after he was finished. "I'm going for a nap. Is the slave in the basement?"

"Yes, dad," Damon said through clenched teeth.

"Good. I see she recovered quickly," He added before disappearing.

...

Damon helped his mother clear up the table while Camilla prepared the sink.

"You didn't even touch your food, Damon."

"I wasn't hungry," He lied.

"Do you honestly think I will believe that?" Camilla said softly. "You saved it up for Elena, didn't you?"

Damon looked at his feet.

"Go on. Take it to her…I'll wash these up."

"Mom-"

"Damon, go," She urged him. "Go."

"Thank you," He said with a smile, running towards the basement with the plate in his hands. Something inside him told him that things would get better. He could feel it. He could make Elena feel happy here.

He only needed time.

…


	8. Chapter 8

**Would like to thank my beta and amazing friend ThroughMysoul44.**

**Enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

Days went by and things hadn't changed. Giuseppe was returning home early and he'd never allow Elena a meal. Camilla, however, was secretly cooking extra food for her and Damon would usually wait until his father was asleep to give it to her. During those days, Damon felt uneasy. He wasn't used to his father walking around the house and he was missing Elena. To make matters worse, he had started to hear a lot of arguments and he had to stand idly by as his father verbally abused his mother. Once, he had even seen her crying, but she brushed it off and told him that it was her fault.

"You haven't been working a lot, lately," Damon told his father as they sat down for breakfast.

"No," Giuseppe replied, sipping his O positive. "I needed a few days off. You know I'll be travelling in a few days." He sighed. "Being a governor is not an easy job, Damon. You should learn to appreciate what I do more, because you will soon have to take over. You won't be a successful authority member if you remain this soft. You need to toughen up."

Camilla served Damon a chocolate pancake.

"And give up that shitty food," Giuseppe added, looking at the plate in disgust, "Learn how to be a proper vampire."

Damon and Camilla exchanged glances, both knowing that if Giuseppe found out that Damon's body could handle the transition, he'd have to turn now. Damon knew that Giuseppe loathed him for not transitioning.

"And where the fuck's the slave?" Giuseppe growled after a while, "She's here to work. Tell me, boy, have you even started to train her?"

"Train her?" Damon asked, "What do you mean?"

"She'll grow up, Damon. She'll be your personal slave. You have to teach her obedience."

Damon's eyebrows furrowed.

"As an authority member, you'll face a lot of difficulties. It is the slave's duty to take your mind off things after a long day of work. They are a nice distraction…at least I enjoy them." He drank the rest of his blood. "You should start teaching her and informing her of her duties from now. I never see her bow or kneel to you, or even offer to take your coat or jacket. She has to be taught respect."

Damon froze. He noticed his mother's face changing. He knew, without a doubt, that his father cheated on his mother plenty of times. The way he spoke about slaves just made him confirm it. He didn't exactly know what Elena owed him, but it didn't seem good.

"Giuseppe, enough," Camilla said after a while, almost pleading. "He's just a boy."

"I know that, and that is the problem!" Giuseppe suddenly snarled. "If he can't be a vampire, he could at least try to be a man! Learn to control your slave, Damon, make fucking use of her. I spent a huge sum of money on that girl. Make it worth it."

Just then, Giuseppe's phone started to ring and Camilla breathed out a sigh of relief. She wasn't sure she could take that kind of attitude anymore.

Giuseppe uttered a polite 'hello' and stood up, throwing a glance at Camilla and Damon. Camilla started to clean the table without a word, but as she was doing so, she heard her husband growl into the phone, and then his tone suddenly turned worried. Genuinely worried.

"What's going on?" Camilla asked when she saw him walk in as if he had seen a ghost.

"I don't want any of you to go out tonight," Giuseppe warned them. "I have to go to work."

"On your day off? What's going on, Giuseppe?" Camilla asked him again.

"Nothing that concerns you, woman," Giuseppe said, his voice full of warning. "Just stay inside and don't let anyone in."

At that, he disappeared from in front of them, leaving Camilla and Damon stunned.

* * *

"What was that about?" Damon asked a few minutes later as soon as he had finished breakfast.

"I have no idea. You saw him, he barely glanced at us on his way out."

"You think he's having problems at work? Maybe someone out there wants to hurt us?"

"I don't know, Damon. All I know is that your father told us to stay in, so we'll be staying inside today."

Damon nodded his head. "I didn't plan to go out anyway."

"Good," Camilla said. "How's Elena? Have you seen her today?"

"No, I haven't. I'll go give her breakfast."

Camilla sighed, but she couldn't refuse the smile that found its way to her lips just at seeing her son so happy to just have a friend. That's all he ever wanted, to have someone close to him. She couldn't stomach telling him that they didn't have a future together, that a time would come where he'd hate her or vice versa.

He ran with a plate full of pancakes, as he had started to realise that Elena required much more food than he did. He also held a glass of orange juice in his other hand and opened the door slightly, strolling in. He set everything on the floor and looked at Elena, who was curled up into a ball on the mattress, the blankets covering her small body. He longed to take her to the guest bedroom so that she'd be more comfortable there, but he had to wait.

"Elena," He whispered, shaking her gently.

She let out a sleepy sound and stretched her body, blushing when she heard Damon laughing at her.

"Tired?"

"Yeah…I'm sorry," Elena apologised.

"Don't apologise for being tired," Damon said, handing her the tray. "I brought you breakfast."

"Thanks," Elena smiled, biting a bit too roughly into her pancake.

"Good?" He asked.

"Excellent," Elena said, her grin wider, "I like chocolate way too much."

"Me too," Damon nodded his head in agreement.

"I thought your father was going to have a couple of days off," Elena spoke after a while.

"Yeah, but he got called in for work. An emergency of some sort," Damon said, handing Elena her orange juice. "He'll be leaving on Boxing Day."

"Wait, what is today's date?"

"It's the 22nd of December," Damon informed her. "Christmas is in three days."

"Oh," Elena said, her face showing the sadness Damon hoped he wouldn't see again. He hesitantly reached out to grasp her chin, as if he were silently apologising for forcing her to spend Christmas with them instead of her family.

"Ready?" Damon asked uncomfortably.

Elena nodded and handed him the glass. "Yes."

* * *

Damon went to bed early that night and he was fast asleep. However, he was quickly awakened when he heard his father's heavy footsteps in the hallway. He straightened and looked at the clock: 10pm.

He heard his mother walking towards where his father was, in the hallway. Giuseppe whispered something that Damon's ears couldn't quite catch but soon, he couldn't hear them anymore. He turned his head back to the pillow and tried to sleep.

* * *

"What's going on?" Camilla whispered as soon as Giuseppe entered the bedroom and closed the door behind them.

"We're in trouble," Giuseppe said, turning to pour a drink. "Big trouble."

"What? What are you saying? What did you do?"

"So quick to accuse," Giuseppe spat, "I didn't do anything. I was called in for work today because there's been a report that around thirty vampires were murdered, at the very end of Mystic Falls."

"What? How?"

"That's the thing, Camilla," Giuseppe said, "They were murdered by humans. We found traces of vervain in their body, the dose they were given was so large that their organs were burnt, completely. Someone must've made them consume about two kilograms of pure vervain over the past twenty four hours."

"Oh my gosh…"

"You do know who takes care of the human race, right?" Giuseppe snarled at her, "No one other than your beloved Grayson Gilbert."

"Grayson would never hurt me. He doesn't even know that I'm living here," She protested. "Grayson is not you."

Giuseppe turned around, hate in his eyes. "What did you say?"

Camilla realised her mistake.

She felt a harsh slap on her cheek.

"Grayson will kill you in an instant," Giuseppe growled, "You made your choice and he made his."

"No, I never made any choices. You always did that for me," Camilla said bitterly.

"I saved your life. I took you back even after everything you had done to me!" Giuseppe roared. "Is this the gratitude I get from you?"

Camilla bit her lip and decided to ignore him.

Giuseppe took a few deep breaths to calm down. "Rumour has it that his daughter was kidnapped and brought to the slave market. He's touring every single vampire town and killing thirty vampires using the same method. He's using them to send a message...that he won't stop until he finds his daughter. won't let him use my town as bait."

"And do you have an idea of who she is?" Camilla asked carefully.

"No idea," Giuseppe said. "But if I do find out who she is, I _will _kill her. Grayson Gilbert has to suffer."

Camilla shuddered, but tried to hide her discomfort at all costs.

"Do you know how long it has been since I've had you?" Giuseppe said after a while, his gaze so blatant that it made Camilla feel sick.

"What, no slave satisfied you today?" She said angrily.

Giuseppe grasped her face in a rough grip. "You dare talk to me like that, after everything you've done? After soiling the family name?"

"You were the one who soiled the family name!" Camilla cried out, pulling away from his grip. "Every bruise, every mark on my body-It soils the family name, Giuseppe. You don't even care about your own son!"

"My son?" Giuseppe laughed, his eyes dark. "My son does not even know how to control a fucking slave. If anything, he defends her."

He took a few steps towards Camilla and eyed her from head to toe. Then, without warning, his hands reached out to unbutton her shirt.

"No," Camilla stepped away from him in determination, baring her fangs at him.

"You dare bare your fangs at me?" Giuseppe barked, "You know that I can have them pull them out in a mere second. You are my wife, and it is your duty to satisfy me!"

At that, he tore the rest of the clothes from her body, even as his wife cried out. Moments later, he threw her on their bed, and the echo of a descending zipper filled the void between them.

* * *

The next morning, Damon woke up energetic and well-rested. He hoped that his father would give him permission to go to town, since he wanted to find a gift for Elena. He had already tried to check whether members of her family were brought to the slave market, but he also wanted to give her something materialistic. After all, she was still a girl, and girls liked toys.

After a quick coffee, he asked his father for permission, and he allowed Damon to go out since it was daytime. He set a curfew, but other than that, Damon took a small sum of money he owned with him and headed out.

In the meantime, Camilla remained on the bed, listening to Giuseppe and Damon's conversation. She was sore today, he had been too rough. Her husband strolled in searching for a tie, without even caring that his wife was broken.

"Where's my blue striped tie?" He asked her.

Camilla pointed at the dresser without a word. She wanted to avoid another argument. Giuseppe opened and closed the drawers repetitively until he found the tie.

"When will you be back?" Camilla asked weakly.

"You do not question your husband," Giuseppe warned, disappearing from the room.

* * *

Camilla woke up a few minutes later, and when she did, she headed straight to the basement. She found Elena wide awake on the mattress, trying to find a comfortable position. The girl froze as soon as she saw her.

"Elena," Camilla said, her voice firm but still gentle, "I need your help in the kitchen."

The girl nodded her head quickly, her head bowed down dutifully when she jumped off the mattress. She followed Camilla without uttering a single word and then they sat around the table, with Camilla allowing Elena a bowl of cereal. She ate it hastily, feeling uncomfortable as Camilla's gaze locked with her face.

Elena put the bowl in the sink and then turned to face Camilla.

"What do you require me to do, Mrs. Salvatore?" She asked.

"We need to clean the kitchen," Camilla said. "You can start by cleaning the counters."

Elena nodded her head obediently and she went to get the cleaning spray from the cupboard under the sink.

"Mrs. Salvatore," Elena said, almost embarrassed, "Where is Mr. Damon?"

"He had to go out this morning," Camilla informed her.

"Oh," She said, turning her attention back to the counter.

"Elena?" Camilla asked her after a while.

"Yes, Mrs. Salvatore?"

"Where is your family? Who are they?"

"Please," The girl begged. "Don't make me talk about them."

Camilla decided not to force Elena to talk about something she clearly didn't want to. "Okay, Elena."

* * *

Damon hurried into the toy shop and looked at the expensive dolls and barbies that were neatly placed on the shelves. Looking at them, he wasn't sure which one he should buy for Elena. The sales assistant gave him an annoyed sigh.

"Excuse me," Damon asked politely, pointing at the biggest doll. "How much is this?"

"Too expensive for you to afford," She said rudely.

"Try me," Damon insisted.

"Forty dollars. It can talk and walk."

Damon pouted at the price. Even though he had that amount of money, he wanted to buy the new twenty dollar video game that was recently released. He had hoped he'd find something less expensive. He looked at the doll and back to his wallet, and then to the video game he had been desperately saving up for.

"I'll take the doll," He said after a while, the words leaving his mouth automatically.

"Is this for your sister?" The sales assistant asked, "Do you require a specific gift bag?"

"No, it's not for my sister," Damon said with a smile, "It's for someone very special."

* * *

**As you can see, Camilla clearly has secrets of her own, and the Gilbert family is involved.**

**A reviewer asked about a scene I wrote last chapter. In that scene, Camilla was holding the Gilbert Coat of Arms. A coat of arms is a unique design for the surname "Gilbert", in this case. (A family crest)**


	9. Chapter 9

**Huge thanks to my beta, ThroughMySoul44 for her help!**

* * *

Damon returned home with the doll safely tucked away in a plastic bag and headed straight to his room to hide it from his parents and from Elena. He wanted to surprise her, maybe even make her smile.

He hurried into the kitchen, his face lighting up when he saw Elena in there. She smiled back at him, her grin as wide as his own. When he was sure that his mother was not there, he ran towards her and wrapped her up in a warm hug.

"Hey," He said.

"Hi," Elena took a step back. "Where have you been?"

"I had to go to town, do some shopping," Damon answered her. "Do you want to come to my bedroom? We can play something on my Xbox if you want."

"Sure," Elena replied excitedly, "What about your mother, though? I was helping her clean."

"It's fine Elena, you can go," Camilla suddenly spoke and the two children turned around to find her there.

"Perfect," Damon said before Elena could even utter a word. He picked up her hand and held it in his, pulling her towards his bedroom. She hadn't been there before. Usually, Damon spent time with her inside the confines of the kitchen.

"Wow," Elena breathed, amazed by the copious array of toys Damon had.

"Do you like it?" He asked her.

"Yeah, it's nice!"

"Don't worry, you'll have your own bedroom set up soon," He smiled at her and turned the Xbox on. "Sit down, Elena."

Elena obeyed, immediately sitting down on the bed, being joined by Damon moments later. She began to play with her wispy strands of hair out of habit, all while she waited for the boy to settle down.

"It's nice."

Elena turned around, confused. "Excuse me?"

"Your hair, I mean. It's nice," He said, reaching out hesitantly to touch it. "May I brush it?"

"If you want to," Elena nodded.

He smiled and picked up a hairbrush, pulling it down her the length of her brown hair very cautiously until there wasn't a single tangle. Then, he proceeded to lift her hair tenderly and started to braid it.

"It smells good, too," He commented. "Have you been using my shampoo?"

"That's the only one I could find, so yeah," She whispered, blushing a little.

"Good," Damon secured the braid with a hair tie. "Come on, let's play a multiplayer game."

* * *

Two more days passed and it was finally Christmas. Elena had to wake up early to help Camilla with the Christmas dinner, and since Giuseppe was off work and walking around the house, Elena did not feel comfortable at all.

She sliced the tomatoes and the cucumber for a fresh salad whileCamilla prepared the lasagna and the turkey for the occasion. Damon quickly joined in, but Camilla told him to help prepare the table instead. Things were going fine until Giuseppe strolled in.

"The food surely smells amazing," He told his wife, and she thanked him silently. As soon as the words left his lips, everyone could feel a sudden fear, knowing that Giuseppe rarely paid her compliments. His eyes searched the room until his gaze fell on Elena.

"What the fuck is she doing out here? Isn't she supposed to be downstairs?"

"She's helping me prepare lunch," Camilla replied quickly.

"Like hell she is!" Giuseppe growled, blurring in front of Elena and grabbing her by her arm, "You dare come into my kitchen on Christmas day? A family day?"

"Please, Mr. Salvatore, I-" Elena stammered, but was silenced by a rough slap on her cheek. Tears immediately filled her eyes as she cradled her cheek in her arm and backed away from him in fear. He raised his hand again, but this time, a growl could be heard, coming from Damon.

"Don't you dare touch her!" Damon ran towards Elena and stepped in front of her protectively.

"I bought you this stupid bitch," Giuseppe roared, "I can do whatever I want! I can have her sent back to the slave market in five seconds!"

At that, Damon froze.

"Not so tough now, are you?" Giuseppe taunted him, pushing him away so that he could grab the crying girl again. "She was supposed to be your assistant, to help you man up. Clearly I was wrong. This girl only turned you softer."

He looked at Elena in disgust. "She's human, Damon! Human! A fucking disgrace to society. And you dare talk to me, your father, like this? You choose to stand up for a human?" He gripped Elena's hair and yanked it back, causing her to scream in pain.

"See how weak she is?" Giuseppe laughed evilly, pushing Elena with all his strength and watching in delight as she fell to the floor with a loud 'thump'. His hand went to his belt and he unbuckled it swiftly, prepared to hit the poor girl.

"Enough, Giuseppe! Stop it, please!" Camilla begged him all of a sudden, holding his arm down. "I'll send her back to the basement, okay? Just please…stop. Don't hurt her, she's just a girl!"

"She's not a girl, she's a disgrace!" Giuseppe spat angrily, giving Elena a kick.

"Man up, Damon," He turned to his son, who was standing motionless, Elena at his feet. Tears were streaming down his cheeks in fear. He couldn't believe that Giuseppe had this hatred for Elena.

"Please, father…" He said after a while.

"What, Damon?" Giuseppe growled. "You have disgraced me. Show me that you are a man, and not a fucking child. You're never going to be a governor if you do not show superiority. People will only respect you if they fear you!"

"That's not true, you know that!"

"Be a man, Damon," Giuseppe handed the belt to him. "Show her that she's not a part of this society, that she's nothing but an animal!"

Damon remained frozen, looking at the belt as if it were a poisonous snake, and then at Elena who was whimpering in humiliation and pain. Her scalp was burning and she was fearing the worst. She didn't even dare to look at Damon as he raised the belt. She just snapped her eyes shut and waited for the pain.

Only it never came. Instead, Damon roughly turned around and tossed the belt at his father, who was taken by surprise. Feeling humiliated, Giuseppe grabbed Damon by his neck and threw him on the floor next to Elena. Camilla started to scream, getting in front of her son and begging her husband repetitively to stop. He pushed her away, the force sending her flying across the room.

"You don't want to beat her?" Giuseppe roared in his son's face, "Very well. Then you'll be punished as well."

He pinned Damon down and mercilessly whipped him on his back, causing him to cry out in pain. Each blow was even stronger than the one before, but Damon didn't want to scream in front of him. He wouldn't give him that satisfaction.

When he was done, he turned to Elena, who was wide-eyed and crying softly when she felt Damon flinch and jump beside her. He rolled her roughly onto her stomach and even though both Damon and Camilla pleaded with him to stop, he still raised his belt and struck her nine times in a row. Elena, however, was not as brave as Damon was. Every time the belt hit her, she shrieked in pain and began to thrash around, making Giuseppe even angrier. She managed to look at Damon through teary eyes as they both remained on the floor. Damon squeezed her hand and she closed her eyes, wincing as the last blow struck her.

"You won't be getting any lunch," Giuseppe hissed at them both. "Get up and go to the basement. If Damon likes Elena so much, then he can fucking stay down there as well. Now hurry up!"

Both Elena and Damon stood up slowly, their eyes downcast, and walked to the basement without uttering a word. When they did finally reach it, Elena threw herself on the mattress and cried.

"Shh…it's okay," Damon tried to comfort her.

"No, it's not," She sobbed. "You're hurt. You're hurt because of me."

"It's not your fault, Elena. It's his," Damon spat angrily.

"I'm h-hurt…" Elena rolled into a ball and covered her face in her hands. "My back's on fire."

"Oh, Elena," Damon whispered, heartbroken. "Let me see."

"No, I should check your injuries first…" Elena said, feeling responsible for what happened. "Even though I don't know how to help."

"I'll be fine," Damon promised her, cupping her jaw. "It's you I'm worried about."

"Damon," Elena started, tears in her eyes. "I'm a slave. I _have _to go through what just happened like it's a daily routine. You cannot always take beatings for me."

"My father said that you are mine," Damon said, taking her hand in his. "I should have the legal right to stop him from hitting you. I already told you…you're no slave to me, but if the law is the only thing that will keep his hands off you, then I'll have to speak up."

"He bought me with his own money, maybe even signed a contract," Elena reminded him. "Even though I was your gift, he's still the rightful owner."

Damon sighed. "What a terrible Christmas."

"I know," Elena let a tear stream down her cheek, only to fall on Damon's arm. He wiped it away with his thumb and held her closer.

"I'm so sorry, Elena."

"Don't. Don't be."

"This is all my fault."

"You didn't do this to me, Damon. You've been kind to me."

"I brought you here. It's my fault."

"I would've been bought by someone else, Damon," Elena told him sadly. "The people who kidnapped me from my home are to blame. They put me on a ship like Iwas a piece of merchandise and transported me here without mercy. One day I'll tell you all about it, but not today. We have experienced enough pain already."

"I'll find a way to convince my mom to leave him," Damon suddenly said, his eyes full of hate. "We can move out of this stupid town and we'd be free to do whatever we want. He'll be leaving shortly and I'm on Christmas vacation. I might be able to convince her."

Elena nodded weakly, wincing when the pain returned. Before Damon could say anything, he heard the front door closing and then his mother's steps hurrying towards the basement.

Camilla entered the dark room, her face red from crying. At that moment, Damon stood up and ran straight to her arms, noticing the newly-formed bruises on her arm, that were healing but still painful.

"I can't do this anymore," Camilla sobbed.

"I know, mom, I know…" Damon sighed as he hugged her back.

"I'm so sorry this happened," Camilla turned to look at Elena, who was still on the mattress. "You didn't deserve it."

"He left again. He said that he feels betrayed and feels that we are lacking respect," Camilla said, heartbroken. "You can go to your room, it's cold down here. He'll be leaving early tomorrow because there has been some arrangements…I'll prepare your room, Elena." She finished weakly.

Camilla gave them both one last look before disappearing down the hallway, while Damon gently took Elena's hand and led her to his bedroom.

"You can rest on the bed, if you like…" He said awkwardly when no words were exchanged between them.

Elena thanked him and hesitantly climbed onto the very inviting bed, turning on her stomach because she couldn't even stay on her back for five minutes, yet alone an entire night. The two children remained in silence, with Damon gently rubbing her back and Elena sobbing into the pillow. When he had had enough, Damon climbed off the bed. Elena looked up, startled, but soon, Damon walked back to the bed again.

"This wasn't the way I was supposed to give you this…" He said uncomfortably, handing her a huge box which was wrapped in a bright red wrapping paper.

Elena looked at the box, confusion written on her face.

"It's for you, Elena. Open it," He encouraged.

"F-For m-me?" She stammered.

He smiled, and that smile only served to encourage her. She tore at the wrapping paper, curiosity finally settling in, and let out a gasp when she saw the huge doll.

"It can walk and talk," Damon said a bit lamely. "I hope you like it."

"Oh my God, Damon!" Elena exclaimed, "I've wanted this doll for as long as I can remember! Thank you so, so much!" She pulled him towards her and hugged him tightly. He wrapped his own arms around her and kissed her head.

"It's beautiful!" Elena screamed, looking at the doll, amazed. "It must've cost you a fortune!"

"It doesn't matter," Damon said, and he wasn't lying. He had succeeded. Despite everything that happened that day, she was smiling.

* * *

Please Review!

I'm planning for the childhood to last until Chapter 11/12, give or take.

…


	10. Chapter 10

Thank you for your amazing reviews! When I started this story, I didn't know whether the idea was going to be liked or not.

Huge thanks to my beta and great friend Ren (ThroughMySoul44) for her help on this chapter!

Enjoy and please review.

* * *

The next day, Giuseppe returned to the house. His heavy steps roused Damon from sleep and he shivered after a night spent in the basement. Unwillingly, he and Elena had to get down there in case Giuseppe returned, and Damon realised that it was a good choice because his father was walking around the house already, asking Camilla about his son.

"Where's Damon?" Giuseppe asked his wife. It was a routine; he'd go out and fuck a random girl at night and then return in the morning without an excuse or apology.

"In the basement," Camilla said tiredly. "I have packed your suitcase and there is a hand luggage full of the items you might need during the trip."

He chuckled. "I know that you are happy that I'm leaving, but you might not want to make it seem this obvious."

Camilla bit her lip and turned toward the freezer, taking out a blood bag and handing it to him.

"What about the town's safety?" Camilla asked. "What's going to happen when you're gone?"

"The sheriffs are doing their jobs properly. No human will be able to enter my town, no matter the weapon they might have."

Giuseppe sipped from the blood bag slowly. "If the work I have abroad wasn't important; I wouldn't go. But I have to, and you know that. Don't worry though, our town is safe. My team members are wise. They know that they cannot disappoint me. The town is well guarded, they won't be able to come here."

"I don't like any of this," Camilla spoke slowly, "It would've been better if we all went on our own way."

"We are a lot stronger than humans."

"But they have a lot more resources and weapons."

"We have their people. They won't do anything stupid," Giuseppe reasoned. "They know that we can kill the slaves in less than a second. Times have changed, Camilla. They are the ones who have the least power. We have the upper hand this time, and it would be wise for you to remain on the winning side."

"You know that I'm on your side," Camilla tried, but his sudden laugh shocked her.

"You were not always on my side, Camilla," Giuseppe scolded her. "I do hope that you have learned from your mistakes."

"I did," Camilla told him, trying to hide her sadness.

"Don't look so glum, Camilla," Giuseppe sighed, holding her chin in a tight grasp. "Oh, and take Damon to my office, will you? Maybe they'll teach him how to be a fucking vampire and how to keep a town in order. I do hope that by the time I return, he'll be much more mature and reliable. If he wants to keep that precious slave of his, he better prove to me that he's even worthy of having an assistant."

Giuseppe sighed. "Elena will grow up, Camilla. Make sure that she knows her duties as a woman, towards her master."

Camilla's face paled and she flinched at her husband's tone. He disgusted her, but no matter how much he did she still had to silently nod.

"Maybe that timeout in the basement would do him good, remind him that if he spends too much time with the inferiors, he'll soon become one too."

At that, he picked up his luggage, threw one last glance at his wife, and disappeared.

* * *

Things quickly changed in the Salvatore house. For one, Camilla seemed more relaxed and she dedicated more time to gardening, cooking, and even taking care of Damon. Even though she still demanded Elena's contribution in the household, she treated her humanely and Damon was more than satisfied with that arrangement.

The trouble started when Giuseppe's colleague, a man called Laurence, phoned Camilla from the office and asked her to bring Damon to the park as he needed to talk to them both about the business. Damon did not want to leave Elena behind like some kind of animal, and secretly, Camilla herself feared that if they left her alone she'd try to escape and cause chaos and panic. Therefore, Camilla told Damon that he could bring Elena with them, but since it was vampire territory, the humans had to be chained to ensure that they were owned and that they were not a threat.

"Absolutely not," Damon argued. "I'm not chaining her up."

"You have to. Otherwise, she stays here," Camilla said firmly. "Elena's considered a threat out there. We have to show them that she belongs to us."

"I won't humiliate her like that."

"What if she decides to run away? Not only will she soil the family name; she will also put herself in danger."

"I don't care about the family name."

"But you care about her. She'll be at risk. The other vampires won't be pleased."

"She'll be with us. You know that no other vampire can touch someone else's property," Damon said, and then flinched. "Just stop this…you keep forcing me to talk about her like she's an object!"

"She's not an object, Damon, but she is our property," Camilla said. "I'm not telling you to hurt her, I'm just telling you to abide by the rules, for all our safety, including hers."

"Even if by doing so, I'm humiliating her? You wouldn't like it if someone forced a chain around your neck."

"Fine!" Camilla snapped. "Do whatever you want. Just don't say that I didn't warn you."

* * *

Damon went back to his bedroom, where he found Elena sitting on his bed, waiting for him like he had instructed her. He had been preparing the new room for her and because of that, he let her stay in his bedroom for the majority of the day. He had even put some of her clothes in his own wardrobe.

"We are going out," He informed her with a smile, "You're coming with us."

Elena's eyes widened in confusion. "Damon, you know I can't."

"Yes, you can," He cut her off. "Put something on, sweetie. I'll wait for you outside."

Elena nodded and went to the wardrobe, finding a selection of pretty polka-dotted dresses.

"You should really wear the blue one."

"What?" Elena turned around and he got up, eyeing the material.

"It suits you. And, I like the colour."

"Then why do you always wear black?" Elena asked him, "It's a boring colour."

"Is it?" Damon asked her in surprise. "Fine, princess, I'll change my shirt."

Elena smirked at that, took off her clothes and put the blue dress on.

* * *

True to his word, Damon did not put a chain around Elena's neck as they walked in the busy street of Mystic Falls, where life was always so hectic. The town had the largest economy ever, with thousands of vampires working in great businesses, making tons of money. Everywhere they went, people would look at Camilla and Damon with respect; but they both knew that it was because they feared Giuseppe. Camilla also knew that even though everyone smiled at her, the other women talked behind her back. Even though Giuseppe tried to act like an honourable man and treated Camilla with respect in front of his friends, they all suspected that Camilla was cheated on and abused. However, no one dared to say anything. They all feared Giuseppe's wrath.

Finally, the woman and children reached the park and Camilla shook Laurence's hand firmly, trying to act all business-like, when in reality she disagreed with Giuseppe's way of leadership. A boy around Damon's age, dressed in fine clothing, greeted Damon politely, but the latter was not paying attention. His gaze was fixated on a girl of around thirteen, who was standing by the boy's side. She had a collar around her neck, multiple bruises on her body, her eyes downcast.

"Mister Salvatore," Laurence greeted. "This is my son, Dominic."

This time, Damon gave him a polite smile. Laurence ignored both Elena and the other girl completely, and asked Camilla to sit with him around one of the picnic tables. He took out his file, sat down and looked at Damon again.

"I haven't seen him in so long," Laurence smiled at Camilla. "I seem to forget that they grow up but we do not."

"Indeed," Camilla forced a smile.

"Have you fully transformed into a vampire?" Laurence asked Damon.

"No," Damon said without hesitation.

"No?" Laurence looked surprised. "But his body is ready to bear the changes, isn't it? Why would you wait to turn? You'd rather remain this way?"

Camilla stepped in. "He's not yet ready for the transition. When he is, he'll transform immediately," She lied.

"Good. You're as good as a human is if you do not turn," Laurence said, and then turned to Dominic. "Dominic, show Mrs. Salvatore the mistake in the paper work. I'll order a bottle of fine wine as we work this problem out."

Dominic nodded and Laurence quickly placed the order.

"I already taught him to take over the business," Laurence said, turning to face Camilla. "I'm quite confused why Giuseppe didn't. I mean, Dominic comes to the office very often. Damon should do so, too, after all, he'll be running the town one day and Dominic will be assisting him."

Camilla didn't bat an eyelid. "Don't worry, sir. When the time is right, he will learn."

Laurence forced a smile and turned his attention to Elena, who was sitting next to Damon quietly. Before he could say anything, however, the server placed a bottle of wine in the middle of the table.

"Laura!" Dominic suddenly barked at the girl beside him, "Where the fuck are your manners? Serve us the wine!"

Fear was evident in the girl's eyes. "Yes, sir."

With shaky hands, Laura started to pour the wine into the wine glasses. It was all going fine until her hands suddenly shook from the very same fear and the bottle escaped her hands, the spilled wine staining Damon's shirt immediately.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry!" Laura panicked. Before Damon could say that it was just an accident, Dominic rushed towards her and kicked her in the abdomen, the force causing her to fall to the floor. Damon, Elena, and Camilla remained frozen in their places as Laurence casually continued to pour wine into the glasses and carried on with the conversation, not even caring that his eleven year old son was beating a defenseless human girl half to death.

"It's okay, really!" Damon panicked, "You can stop! It's okay!"

But Dominic kept kicking her even as the girl screamed her lungs out and cried in pain.

Laurence read Camilla's shocked face like an open book. "Don't tell me that you do not discipline your slave?"

Camilla didn't know what to say.

"He's going to kill her," She said at last.

"It doesn't matter. She's actually his third, I'll buy him another one in that case. They need to learn discipline."

Damon noticed a few tears run down Elena's eyes.

"Where's her chain? Why isn't she chained?" Laurence demanded.

"I believe that it is up to the master to decide," Camilla said firmly. "Now please, tell me where I have to sign because I have a lot of things to do today."

Suddenly, the screams of the young girl stopped and Dominic joined in with the business conversation, wiping the blood away from his hands casually and going through the papers. He smiled at Damon lackadaisically and Damon tried hard not to look at the battered body of the girl on the floor next to him.

Laurence sighed and looked at Laura. "Your fourth murder, my son. Good," He praised him, and then he called the server.

"Make sure to tell the garbage collector that there's a girl to collect."

At that, Camilla gasped. "She doesn't even get a proper burial?"

"Oh, no, Mrs. Salvatore," Laurence said, equally surprised. "We do not bury our pets now, do we?"

Camilla was afraid to say anything more. Instead, she just signed the papers she needed to sign and said a polite goodbye, all while Damon held Elena closer to him.

* * *

When they returned home, Elena did not even have the courage to speak. After what she had just witnessed, she was too upset and scared.

"Talk to her, Damon," Camilla said after a while. "She needs you."

Damon was surprised by this, but Camilla sighed. "I have a heart, Damon. I'm not your father. Talk to her."

* * *

Camilla sat on the sofa, just staring. She couldn't believe what she had just seen. Maybe Giuseppe was right…she was too compassionate. But who could blame her? She had fallen in love with a human, for Christ's sake. And she was once a slave.

Before she could get lost in the memories, her phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Mrs. Salvatore?" The voice asked urgently.

"Yes. Whom am I speaking to?"

"We need you to come to the hospital right away. There has been an attack."

"An attack? What attack?" Camilla panicked.

"By the humans," The woman said. "They are near…Closer to us than ever. We need your help!"

Camilla's breath caught in her throat.

* * *

Hmm, Camilla is much more than the broken, abused woman I always write about. Even though Giuseppe is the governor, she still has an important part in the running of the community, and as it turns out, she might also have some life-saving skills hidden inside. The humans have attacked despite what Giuseppe said, and the leader of the human race (The governor) is no one other than Grayson Gilbert, whose out for revenge because his daughter was kidnapped and brought to the slave market. He doesn't know which town she's in, but he'll soon find out...

As you very well know, there is a story between Grayson and Camilla, which will be revealed soon.

Stay Tuned!


	11. Chapter 11

**Would like to thank my beta and friend ThroughMySoul44 for her help on this chapter.**

**The reviews are all AMAZING! Thank YOU!**

**School has just started and this first week has been very, very stressful. It is my last year at sixth form and this is the year that determines whether I'm going to get the grades/points needed to go to University or not. However, I'll try to update once a week or maximum, once a fortnight, since Crawling Back To You is finished. However, I have new projects in mind regarding our beloved couple, so don't worry, you'll be seeing new stories published soon. **

**Do you like the sixth season of the Vampire Diaries so far? I have to admit, the fact that Elena asked Alaric to make her forget broke me inside. And call me crazy, but I really want Damon to meet young/baby Elena in the 1990s, it would be so cute if Elena had actually met her soulmate at such a young age. **

**On with the story...enjoy!**

* * *

"Camilla, we need your help!" The nurse cried out, "Five vampires have been infected with vervain."

"Vervain?" Camilla gasped in fright whilst speeding through the corridors, "Tell me what happened…quickly! How did they make contact with the plant?"

"Through a vervain grenade," The nurse replied, equally panicked as she led her to the room where the vampires were all screaming for help. "Please, Camilla, you are the only one who knows how to deal with this kind of situation, I know these vampires!"

Camilla ran inside and uncovered the patients, who were unconscious due to the pain they were feeling. Their bodies were full of blisters and blood, and even though Camilla had seen plenty of injuries caused by the plant created by humans themselves, she was still shocked.

"Give me a bloodbag," Camilla ordered the nurse, "And leave me alone with them."

The nurse complied and Camilla injected doses of blood through the vampires' veins, to try and replace the infected blood before it ate them inside out. Then, with shaky hands, she took out a small box she always kept in case of emergency-a small box with the Gilbert coat of arms engraved on it, and opened it quickly, taking a few handfuls of the powder in there and mixing it with water. She then started to apply it to the vampires' burns and blisters until they started to disappear.

The patients all abruptly began to twist and turn in their unconscious states,but Camilla quickly disappeared. The nurse was looking at her, fear in her eyes.

"They'll be alright," Camilla breathed out a sigh of relief and wiped a hand across her forehead.

"Thank you," The nurse said, squeezing Camilla's hand.

"I don't have to remind you, right?" Camilla whispered. "Don't tell Giuseppe I was here."

"Of course," The nurse replied.

"Where were they found? What exactly happened?"

"They were found just outside Mystic Falls, Camilla. People from your office are already investigating. There was a witness and she said that she saw three of them holding vervain grenades. They are becoming more dangerous, Camilla."

"We'll find a way out of this," Camilla assured her. "We have to."

* * *

16 Years Before

Camilla dutifully waited by the Gilberts' door, her head bowed down. Soon, the door opened and Grayson hurried outside, looking at Camilla with his intense, dark brown eyes which were full of sadness and unshed tears.

"Master?" Camilla asked, her throat closing.

"She's gone," Grayson said, the tears flowing freely down his cheek.

Horror sank in Camilla's features. "Master, if you could just let me try to heal her one last time…"

"It's no use," Grayson replied slowly. "She's gone."

"I'm so sorry, Master…" Camilla stammered, unable to say anything else.

Grayson shook his head. "It's Grayson, Camilla…Grayson."

At that, he vanished without uttering another word.

* * *

"Elena," Damon said softly, gently grabbing her arm.

"Don't," Elena raised her hand to stop him. "Please, I need to be alone." She struggled to get out of his grip but he did not let her.

"Elena, please," He begged. "I'm sorry that you had to see that."

Tears pooled on the girl's cheek before she finally started to sob. "He…He just killed her, right there!"

"Shh, hush, sweetheart," Damon whispered, holding her in his arms so gently, as if she were made of glass. "I'm so, so sorry Elena. I didn't want you to see that. I didn't even want to see that myself. But I promise you, Elena, you will never have to fear me. I will never hurt you."

"I know you won't," Elena wiped away a few tears. "You're kind and good."

He sighed. "You need to rest, Elena. We'll decorate your room tomorrow, okay?"

Elena nodded and he kissed her forehead gently. "Goodnight, Elena."

* * *

Sleep did not come and Elena tossed and turned for most of the night. She could hear Damon talking to his mom on the phone before she heard him walking back to his room. She sighed and closed her eyes, but whenever she did, images of the girls' battered body came into her mind.

_Suddenly, she was running. Her feet ached so much and she was cold and scared. She needed her family, but no one was listening to her. She came face to-face with the dead girl and with the cruel vampire who killed her. He grinned at her sickly and took off, chasing after her, but Elena ran faster. The dead girl started to scream, her face still red with blood, and Elena looked behind her in fright. It was only then that she collided with a hard body…a hard body like Giuseppe's. _

_Only when she looked up, her eyes did not lock with Giuseppe's. _

_They locked with Damon's. _

_The predator was Damon. _

Elena woke up with a scream, sweat covering her little forehead. She curled into a ball on the bed and cried until she realised that she had fallen asleep and that she had had a nightmare. She really wished her father was there to comfort her, to hold her and keep the monsters away. The nightlight in the bedroom cast a lot of shadows, and goosebumps formed on Elena's skin. She attempted to hide under the covers, but it was no use.

Hesitantly, Elena hopped off the bed, clutching one of the teddybears Damon had given her to her chest. She tip-toed down the hallway, dressed in a cute, long t-shirt and knocked on Damon's door softly, until she heard him snore. She was afraid to wake him, but at the same time, she knew that he'd protect her for that night.

Elena looked around hesitantly and opened the door slowly. The room was dark except for a small bulb and she walked in, standing by the bed, unsure of what to do.

She called his name slowly. "Damon."

No response. He only snored harder.

Elena sighed, and shook him, gently at first. "Damon, I'm scared. Can I sleep next to you?"

Again, no response from Damon.

"Damon!" Elena said loudly, a bit annoyed. Damon sighed in his sleep, then turned around to face her. In the dim light, Elena could see that he was still asleep.

"Wake up…" She groaned, shaking him a bit rougher. Damon's eyes snapped open and he jerked back, startled.

"Oh my gosh!" He exclaimed, holding a hand on his heart, "You scared me!"

"I'm sorry, I just couldn't get you up," Elena clutched the teddybear closer to her chest. "Can I sleep next to you?"

Damon turned the lamp on and straightened. "Why? What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong. I had a nightmare, and I'm scared. If it's a problem, I can go back…" Elena said hesitantly.

"No," Damon said almost too urgently, "I mean, of course you can. This bed is big enough for both of us."

Elena smiled at him and climbed in under the covers. Damon scooted away so that she had some space and then picked up her hand.

"You're so cold."

"Yeah, it's cold tonight…" Elena said sleepily, "But this bed is so warm."

He chuckled. "Well, I'm glad that I can keep you warm tonight, Elena." He signaled for her to turn the lamp off and then he put his hands around her little waist to hold her closer.

"Damon?"

"Yes, Elena?"

"Thank you…for keeping me safe."

* * *

Damon awoke way before Elena and he stretched his arms comfortably. Elena had snuggled closer to him during her sleep and he turned on his side so that he could see her clearly. He was mesmerized by her, by her existence. This human, this girl, had made him feel like he mattered. To her, he was a saviour. He was not worthless like his father said.

He hesitantly stroked her hair and it was then that Elena yawned. Her warm, brown eyes met his with a smile.

"Hey, sweetie," Damon touched her nose playfully. "How did you sleep?"

"Great, thanks! This bed is so comfortable," She kissed him on the cheek. "Thanks for letting me stay here."

"You're welcome," He said with a smile. "Come on, let's make some breakfast."

* * *

A few minutes passed and the children had already set up a large tray full of tater tots, toast, sausage, eggs,and bacon. They served everything on a plate, making sure to leave a portion for Camilla, as well as a bag of heated blood. Then, they began to eat.

"I see you cooked," Camilla greeted them, and Damon looked at her in surprise. "I thought you were asleep."

"No, I was folding laundry in the bedroom. Thank God for that, because apparently I don't have to prepare breakfast today." She smiled at them both before walking towards the kitchen counter and grabbing the plate Elena and Damon had filled for her.

"This looks amazing," Camilla praised the kids. "Thank you."

Damon and Elena exchanged smiles and they all continued to eat. After a while, Camilla spoke up.

"Damon, I have to go to the market because we are out of bloodbags. Elena, please come with me. I need to buy you new clothes. You can stay here and finish decorating Elena's room."

"Okay," Damon nodded his head, and Camilla quickly let Elena get dressed.

"No chains," Damon insisted when his mother grabbed one of the slaves' chains which was hanging in the wardrobe. "I already told you, I don't want to chain Elena up when we go out."

"You saw what happened yesterday, Damon. You are going to be a governor, and she'll be assisting you everywhere. She'll have to be put on a chain or you'll be in trouble. It doesn't mean that you should hurt her, but out there, you cannot treat her as an equal."

"I'm not letting you put those on her," Damon insisted, his voice firm as he took the chain from his mother's hands. "I don't care what the rest of society thinks about me."

"If your father hears about this…"

"My father's not here right now. Besides, I don't really care about what he thinks."

"You should. He could have her killed or taken her away."

"I'm not having this conversation again. I will not put a chain on Elena, ever."

Camilla sighed. It was no use trying to talk sense into her son, and since Elena was technically his, she couldn't really interfere. After all, Damon was growing up. He had to learn to make his own decisions, even if they were against her wishes.

Elena emerged from the bedroom and dutifully waited by Camilla's side. Camilla signaled to Elena that it was time to go and then the two females quickly got into the car.

The market Camilla purchased from was not very far, however, it was quite deserted and there was a long walk from the parking area. It was very quiet because it was still early, and Camilla was thankful for that since she didn't want to have to explain why her human companion wasn't wearing a collar or a chain.

They had been walking for a long while, and things were going fine until Elena, who was walking closely to Camilla, suddenly started to run. Camilla was taken by surprise and started to call after Elena, but the girl just continued to run as fast as she could. It was then that realization hit her.

"Uncle! Uncle Tom!" Elena yelled, "Uncle Tom!"

Panic settled in Camilla's features and she took off, using her vampire speed to catch the girl. Elena fell to her knees but continued to scream and struggle against Camilla.

"No!" Camilla said by Elena's ear, feeling both anger and pain. "Elena, don't! Stop screaming!"

"Uncle! Uncle Tom!" Elena cried out as she fought harder, "Please! Uncle!"

She could see the man look around in confusion, before his eyes locked with Camilla's.

Camilla panicked.

She got off the ground, pulling Elena by her arm in a desperate attempt to get out of there, knowing that it wouldn't end well for her if she found herself at a human's mercy. Shockingly, she found another man blocking her path, a man who was looking at her with cruel eyes.

"Let go of the girl," He roared.

"Please," Camilla begged.

"Don't hurt her," Elena squeaked out. "I just want to come home. Please…no more blood."

"Elena, sweetheart…" The other man said, coming forwards behind Elena. "It's okay. We're going to take you away from this monster and back to your father."

"Uncle…" Elena sobbed as she struggled to get out of Camilla's grip.

"Let her go," Tom snarled at Camilla. "And no one else will get hurt."

Camilla froze. Both from fear and the thought of Damon's face when he found out that his only friend ran away from him.

"I don't mean the girl any harm," Camilla tried to say, but how could she continue? As a mother herself, she knew that these men were not going to be compassionate or understanding. They saw her as a threat just as much as she saw them to be her enemies.

What Camilla didn't expect, however, was the burning acid thrown at her from a safe distance, an acid that made her body feel like it was on fire. Elena freed herself out of the woman's grip and started to sob loudly as her uncle caught her in his arms. The little girl watched in horror as Tom's friend continued to pour the acid on Camilla's face. When he was done, he threw a grenade at her, causing her to scream in pain as it exploded and burnt her entire leg.

"The vervain will slowly kill her," He said with pride. "We did the world one more favour."

At that, he spat at the vampire and turned to the frightened little girl.

"Come on, Elena. We'll take you to your father and tend to your injuries," He spoke softly.

"W-What about h-her?" Elena stammered.

"She'll die soon enough," Tom said quickly.

"N-No," Elena sobbed. "I didn't want that! Damon…He's…"

"You're confused, Elena. It's natural. You're scared," Tom held her face in his hands gently.

"No. I have to go back!"

"Shh, you're safe, Elena…" Tom tried to convince her but she kept crying and struggling.

"You have to let me help her!"

But the two men ignored her pleas and ended up basically dragging her to the car.

"Drive to Grayson's office," Tom panted. "He needs to know that his daughter's okay."

* * *

Please Review


	12. Chapter 12

**Would like to thank my beta ThroughMySoul44 for her help. Please support her amazing story "Words Unspoken". If you love Damon and Elena very much, you'll adore it!**

**PS: Kindly 'like' my facebook page LiveBreatheVampires' fanfiction. If I do reach a certain audience, I'll start posting spoilers and you can be updated with what's going on with my stories. Thanks in advance!**

* * *

"Where are you taking me, Uncle?" Elena asked timidly.

"Your father relocated, Elena," Tom answered her softly. "When you were taken, he did everything in his power to get you back. We have been searching for you for ages."

"I d-don't understand. How were you able to get into a vampire town? The only humans allowed are the slaves."

"We had a lot of help, " He answered her. "You know that we have to protect our people, and therefore, we always have someone we can trust to work with us. Besides, the witches kept us safe."

"What about Fell's Church?" The girlasked, a smile forming on her face, "Is my town safe?"

"Yes, Elena," Tom said with the same gentle and kind tone, "Fell's Church is safe. Your father's still a governor there and you will both be on your way back home. You'll still be a governor, don't worry."

"Uncle, you know that my father always told me to protect this town, but I don't know if I'll be able to handle it. I'm not in favour of this war, and you know that."

Tom's head turned around quickly, causing Elena to jump. "What made you say that?"

"The humans started all of this, Uncle, when we created that deadly virus and those dangerous weapons from vervain. The vampires had no choice but to fight back. Remember, you own vampire slaves. We are no better than them."

"Are you out of your mind? Have they bewitched you, girl?" Tom snapped. "They are not human. They are monsters."

"See?" Elena cried out, "We are no different. We are both scared. We see them as our enemies as much as they see us as enemies. To them, we are the monsters."

"No, we're not," Tom interrupted her, "You know what we are to them, Elena? Food. I bet you didn't know that, did you? Not until you were bitten, at least!" He growled, pointing at the fading marks on her neck. "They are only afraid of the best of us, of the founding families. They know that we know every method under the sun to torture them and kill them. To them, the rest of the human race is there only to feed them and to be their slaves."

A tear fell from Elena's eye.

"Why are you crying?"

"It's not true, okay?" She finally snapped, "The family I was with…they were not monsters! They were just an ordinary family who happened to have an abusive father and husband. It had nothing to do with vampirism."

"Ordinary family?" Tom chuckled. "There's nothing ordinary about vampires, sweetheart."

"I agree," Elena nodded, "But not the family I was with. Damon loved me like a friend! He let me go out and he gave up his superior standards for me-a slave!"

Tom narrowed his eyes.

"Yes, I was a slave!" Elena continued, "I know it hurts your pride, but I ended up a slave from a governor's daughter. But Damon never made me feel like one, okay? He did everything he could to ensure my happiness and now all I've left him is a possibly dead mother! You have to turn back. Please, you have to heal her. You are the only ones who can heal her-they have no idea that there is a cure for vervain. She'll die."

"Elena, you're bewitched. Once we get you home, we'll undo any compulsion to-"

"I'm not compelled or bewitched!" Elena snapped, "This isn't right. Too many people are dying."

"Many people also died before the war!" Tom roared, "Humans had to do something. The vampires were lurking around, attacking, killing and draining people out of their blood. We had to come up with a virus to make them afraid! We had to protect our people!"

"Yes, but you all decided to continue this war,"She added, the anger evident in her voice. "You know that there are human towns and that there are vampire towns. We could've lived in peace, but then you all started abducting vampires and taking them to slavery. It's obvious that the vampires fought back by taking our people!"

"It's been this way for nearly thirty years. It is not going to change. There will still be vampire towns and human towns and there will still be slaves. This is why we are here-to ensure that we destroy all vampire towns and free our people. Vampires are monsters. That kid whom you love so much will grow up to hate you. You know that, Elena," He added a bit softly, "They will always choose their race, no matter how deeply they say they love you. They will force you to become a vampire, and that's exactly what they want-more people."

"Damon wouldn't do that to me," Elena pleaded. "I can't let his mother die. He has no one in the world, no one."

"I'm sorry, Elena," Tom said unapologetically, "But we're not going back."

* * *

Damon was busying himself with drawing patterns on the new bedroom wall, the room that was going to be Elena's. He had already decorated it with pink dolls and toys, and he made sure that Elena had appropriate bedding, light, and space. He couldn't wait until he saw Elena's bright smile and enthusiasm about the new room, and he was also hoping that she'd start consider herself as part of the family. Besides, his father was going to retire in a few years' time and Damon would be the only one responsible for Elena and the other humans. He'd make sure to order other vampires to treat them equally.

He wiped the sweat off his forehead when he finally drew the last pattern, satisfied with his work. It turned out to be quite beautiful and he also hung a lot of paintings and photos to continue giving the room a more girly feel. He took a deep breath and hurried downstairs for a glass of water before throwing himself onto the couch to get some rest.

After a few minutes, however, Damon grew impatient. He wanted his mother to hurry up and bring Elena back home as soon as possible so that she could give him her opinion about the damn room. He wanted to feel appreciated.

An hour passed, and then another. Damon wasn't only growing impatient, he was also a bit worried. He picked up his phone and dialed her number, surprised when it kept going straight to voice mail. His mother rarely spent more than forty five minutes at a store, and since there was Elena with her, Damon was worried that someone from his father's office might've threatened his mother.

He quickly put a jacket on, trying to remain calm as he continued dialing his mother's number over and over, but to no avail. Without wasting any more time, he headed towards the direction of the supermarket, using his very weak vampire speed to try and get there as quickly as possible, but he knew that it was way too far for him.

Before he could start running, his phone rang. Damon breathed out a sigh of relief when he realised that it was his mother, and the boy wiped the sweat that covered his forehead.

"Thank God, mom, I was-"

"Mr. Salvatore?" The panicked voice said.

"Who is t-this?" Damon started to stammer.

"Is this Damon Salvatore?" The voice persisted.

"Yes," Damon replied almost angrily, "What's going on?"

"Y-Your mother…" The voice stammered, "She's been attacked. We are taking her to Mystic Falls General hospital!"

"Wait, what's going on?" Damon cried, tears streaming fast down his cheek, "Is she okay? What happened?"

"We are sending a cab," The voice said again in panic, "It'll take you to the hospital. Please, tell me where you are…"

* * *

The car finally came to a stop and Tom opened the car door for Elena, taking her hand in his. The girl looked up at him through her wet lashes and followed him without uttering a word. They walked for a few minutes before stopping in front of a building of apartments. Even though Elena's old house was no mansion, it was big, and the fact that her father had relocated and started to live in an apartment made Elena think how much things had changed. She couldn't wait until she returned back to Fell's Church with her dad and the rest of her family, but at the same time, she was feeling so much guilt. Besides, she was missing Damon. He had been so good to her and she repaid him by leaving without saying goodbye. And now, Damon was probably in a hospital room next to his dead mother, facing the burden alone. Tears streamed down her cheek as the guilt continued to settle in.

She felt evil. She was no better than the rest of them, and that was the main reason why she wanted to be a governor. She wanted to change things and have a just world, one where good persons were rewarded, no matter what they were.

But then, suddenly, the door opened and all fear and guilt vanished. Those people-no, those monsters-had taken her away from her father. They bound her in chains, hit her and publicly auctioned her. For all they knew, she could've ended up in a very abusive family like that poor girl murdered right in front of her. It was Damon and his mother she wanted to save, not the vampire race.

Grayson looked at his daughter, frozen, leaning against the wall for support, slow tears leaving tracks on his cheeks. A lump formed in his throat.

"E-Elena? Is that really you?" He choked out.

Elena ran straight to her father's arms, crying and hugging him tightly as he picked her up, peppering kisses all over her face.

"Daddy," Elena sobbed, hiding her face in the crook of his neck.

"Shh, it's okay, my beautiful girl," Her father cooed. "Daddy's got you."

* * *

The drive to the hospital was the worst moment in Damon's life, and he jumped out of the car as soon as it came to a stop. He barged through the large glass doors, not even caring when the nurses shouted at him to stop. His vision was blurred from the tears and he didn't even know where he was going.

"Damon?" A nurse asked, suddenly breaking him out of his trance. It was the same person that had talked to him on the phone. "Damon, my name is Isabella. I talked to you on the phone."

"Where's my mother?" Damon asked, his legs turning into jelly. "Is Elena ok? Is she here?"

"Your mother's in surgery, Damon, but there is no cure for her…" The nurse sobbed, "She never told m-me how s-she did i-it…"

Damon didn't even care about the nurse's last sentence. All he thought of was the fact that there was no cure. A tear streamed down his cheek and he whispered, "What happened?"

"She was attacked, Damon!" Isabella growled angrily, "Two humans managed to get in. Free humans-not slaves. I don't know how because we are well protected. They threw vervain at her…"

Damon remained motionless. He didn't even know what vervain really was, he just heard that it was toxic. He was about to speak when suddenly he realised that the nurse had said something else that worried him.

"Humans?" Damon finally asked.

"Yes," Isabella said.

That was the confirmation he needed-Elena was surely gone. He opened his mouth to ask a question, a question he already knew the answer to. "Elena…was she with my mom?"

"Who's Elena?"

"Elena…Elena's…" Damon stammered, wanting to say 'friend'. However, his eyes narrowed as the hurt and anger settled in. "She's my slave."

"No, dear," Isabella informed him. "We only found your mother."

* * *

"Sweetheart, I missed you so, so much," Grayson said as Elena finally calmed down. "Just this morning I was searching for you, threatening the vampire governors that I would kill each and every one of them if they did not set you free," He hugged her tighter to him and then rolled up her sleeve.

"Are you hurt, Elena?" He asked as he inspected her arm carefully, the sadness and anger evident on his face. "What did they do to you?"

"Dad, I'm fine," Elena muttered a bit sadly. "They treated me well…except for the father. He was the governor, and he hated me so much…"

"Shh, hush, Elena," Grayson said, rubbing her arm gently. "You're okay. I will kill them, Elena. I will kill them for what they've done to you."

The father and daughter just remained there, holding onto each other as if their lifelines depended on it. After a while, Elena unwrapped herself from his grasp and kissed his cheek.

"Where's my brother?"

"He's at school. He's been so worried about you," Grayson told her. "He helped me so much during the search."

"I missed him so much."

"I know you did, sweetie…" Grayson told her. "But you're safe now. You're safe…and I need you to tell me what happened. Every, single detail," He said bitterly. "I need to make sure they pay."

* * *

Damon stared blankly at the wall, unable to eat or drink anything. Right at that moment, he wanted to transform into a vampire so that he could turn off all the hurt and anger he was feeling. Isabella had asked him to wait and they had finally finished the surgery to heal some of the wounds caused by the poison, but there was no hope for his mother other than that.

"Damon, I need to talk to you," Isabella said bitterly.

The lump in his throat prevented him from speaking.

"I'm so, so sorry that you have to be the one to hear this, but we cannot reach your father," Isabella informed him sadly.

"W-What is it?"

"Your mother has fallen into a comatose state. I don't think she'll ever fully recover," She told him carefully. "I'm sorry, Damon. Your mother…she's an amazing person."

Damon did not even have the strength to cry anymore. Instead, he just remained there, standing. Isabella rubbed his arm but he jerked back from her.

"I want to take her home," Damon said, his voice demanding. "I want to be the one to take care of her. She has to wake up."

"Damon, I don't think it's a good idea. You have to go to school and taking care of a comatose patient is…"

"Please," Damon begged, interrupting her. "I have to keep an eye on her. I can't leave her here. My father will return at some point or another and you can still send nurses to check on her...maybe even a live-in nurse. Please, Isabella."

"I'll see what I can do," She said at last. "I'm sorry this happened."

Isabella gave him a compassionate look, but she missed the single tear that fell out of Damon's eye.

* * *

**As you can see, Elena's father is a governor of the human race, and just like Damon, Elena will be taking his place in a few years' time. Elena always seemed to be more alert with what's going on than Damon, and this is because Elena's father doesn't hide anything from her and he treats her well, unlike Giuseppe who only cares about hurting Damon emotionally and physically. Right now, Elena is feeling guilty for leaving Damon and for the fact that his mother's in danger, but at the same time, she knows that her duty is towards the human race. **

**In this story, vervain is created by humans. Even though Vampires are stronger, the technology in this story is improved, with humans becoming dangerous to vampires as they managed to create new weapons to destroy them. Each country is separated in two and there are vampire territories and human territories. **

**Until next week!**

**Please Review.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Huge thanks to my beta ThroughMySoul44!**

**Stay tuned for the Author's Note Below!**

* * *

**Three Days Later**

"It feels good to be back home, doesn't it?" Grayson told his daughter when he saw her face light up. He had taken her back to her room and she sat on her very inviting bed, playing with the familiar dolls.

"Yes, daddy," Elena told him, "I can't believe I'm here."

"Don't worry, honey. Daddy's got everything under control. We will free our friends," He assured her. "I'll make you your favourite dish, okay? Is it still spaghetti Bolognese?"

"Yes!" Elena said excitedly, "It is!"

"Good, sweetie," He said, kissing her forehead gently. "I love you, Elena. You can watch some television and relax, okay? I want you back to your old self in no time."

"Daddy, I'm fine," Elena said again. "I know what Uncle Tom told you, but I'm not compelled. All I said is true. They treated me well and-"

"Shh, Elena, I don't want to hear anything positive about that family," Grayson said, his face serious. "They took you away from me."

"Oh, daddy…" Elena said, hugging him with all her strength. "I love you."

"I love you too, munchkin. You have to promise me that you'll stay as close to home as possible, okay? You know now that it isn't safe for you to be out there by yourself."

"It was all my fault," Elena said, a tear streaming down her cheek, "I should've listened to you when you told me not to go far."

"It's over now," Grayson squeezed her hand. "It's over."

"I prayed to mommy everyday…" She muttered. "I think she heard my prayers. She used to tell me so much about vampires."

* * *

Damon arranged the pillows behind his mother's head, watching her as he sat down on a chair next to her, his hand in hers. She hadn't said a word and she was always staring blankly at the wall. Damon had never felt more alone.

"I need to give your mother a sponge bath."

Beth was their new home-nurse, and she came there often to ensure that Camilla had her daily dose of pills as well as other needs. Damon got off the chair without a word, his head bowed down. He needed someone he could talk to. Elena was gone, and even though he didn't blame her for what happened, he felt betrayed. She just left with her human friends and abandoned his mother there…alone. What kind of person did that? Did she really care that little about him when he was crazy about her? He had thought he made a friend, but she was gone when he needed her most.

His father was apparently on a plane back home, but Damon didn't care. It wasn't like his father was somehow going to support him in all of this. His father was a monster and he was never there for him, why should he expect any better?

Right then, the nurse came rushing back to where Damon was standing in the hallway.

"Damon, your mother has spoken," Beth told him breathlessly.

"What? H-How?"

"No, she's unconscious," She said, stopping him. "But she had enough strength to tell me that she wants you to call a priest."

"What?" Damon asked, "Why?"

"She needs to make a confession…" Beth told him uncomfortably. "Please just do as she asks."

* * *

Elena sat around the table, eating her father's mouth-watering spaghetti. Grayson smiled at her as she ate.

"I've set up a doctor's appointment for you, Elena."

"Why?" Elena asked him.

"I need to make sure that you are perfectly fine," He explained. "I've noticed that there are some bruises on your back. Do they hurt?"

"No," She squeaked out, setting her fork down.

"Elena…I don't know why you want to protect them. They've hurt you."

"Mr. Salvatore did, but the others-"

Her father's face paled. "Mr. Salvatore?"

"I'm sorry!" Elena cried out, "I know, monsters don't deserve the word 'mr.' in front of their name, but…"

"No, it's not that…" Grayson muttered, "You were with the Salvatores?"

Elena nodded.

"Salvatore?" He cried out again, "Camilla Salvatore?"

"Yes!" Elena said a bit snappily, "The woman I've left to die!"

"No…it can't be…" Grayson started to mutter, sweat forming on his forehead.

"Is something wrong?" Elena asked him, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "Do you know them?"

Grayson ignored her. "Camilla…She's dying?"

"Uncle Tom threw vervain at her," Elena told him, "Why do you care?"

"I…I knew Camilla," He finally spat out.

"You did?" Elena gasped, "I never mentioned you because I feared for your safety. Her husband is the governor…for vampires."

"Of course he is," He said in disgust, but then quickly collected himself. "Finish your meal, Elena."

* * *

Grayson hurried to his office and began to open and close every drawer he had in fury. She couldn't die, he thought. He had given her protection even when he left her. He had given her that powder that could heal her from vervain. She couldn't die…No matter how much she had hurt him, she was the only woman that he had ever loved.

He finally found what he was looking for in the last drawer. There it was, a case similar to Camilla's filled with that powder that could cure any vervain-caused wound or virus. He had to give it to her, but he needed help. A governor couldn't just walk into a vampire town. If something happened to him, the human race would suffer. He was the one calling all the shots and creating weapons to destroy their enemies.

He picked up his phone with shaky hands and pressed it to his ear.

"I need help getting into Mystic Falls," He ordered, unaware that a certain brown-eyed girl was listening to every word that he was saying. "I need to deliver a cure, dad."

There was a pause and Elena then saw her father write something on his notepad.

"I'll go tomorrow," He said, almost vowing. "I won't let her die."

* * *

By the time the priest arrived, it was late. Damon had fallen asleep on the chair beside his mother and then he had heard a knock which roused him from his sleep. He rubbed his tired eyes and was greeted by Father Mark. Damon gave him a polite smile, even though he wasn't a religious person. If anything, he found all of this hypocritical. His father had always insisted on going to church and praying, but contrarily, he'd beat both his wife and son for the smallest mistake.

Nonetheless, Damon politely offered the priest a drink, but he shook his head. "I'd like to see your mother, Damon."

The boy nodded his head and led him to the bedroom. His mother was back to her almost comatose state, but the vervain was at times, a bit weaker, allowing her to talk.

"She's in a lot of pain…" Tears streamed down Damon's cheeks. "Sometimes she's almost dead… and other times, she whispers sweet things to me."

"Your mother is a strong woman," Father Mark said. "Leave us, please. I'd like some moments alone with her."

Damon hesitated, but then he heard a weak voice. "It's okay, Damon. You can leave," Camilla said, "I have a few minutes' strength to talk. I'll be okay."

Her son gave her a big kiss on the cheek and left the room.

"Camilla," Father Mark said. "Can you hear me?"

"Y-Yes, f-father," She said. "Thank you, for coming."

"You're welcome," He said, sitting down on the chair next to her.

"I need to confess, Father," Camilla said, a tear streaming down her cheek. "All of these years, I've lived a lie. I have a terrible secret."

"We are all sinners, Camilla."

Camilla took a deep breath. "Bless me, father, for I have sinned…"

_**Flashback: 1990**_

_"I don't know, Grayson. You're my husband and I trust you with everything I have, but I don't think this is a good idea." Miranda shook her head as Grayson picked up her hand and held it in his. _

_"They are everywhere, Miranda. It's true, with the scientific advancements we aren't as vulnerable as we used to be, but it's no use telling ourselves that we are stronger than the vampires because we are not."_

_"So what? You're suggesting that if we keep a vampire slave here we'll be changing this?" Miranda shook her head. _

_"Her fangs are ripped out. She's not any danger," Grayson said. "She can work here and we'll train and discipline her. Vampire blood can turn out to be a blessing. It'll be good to have instant access to it."_

_"I don't know, Grayson…what if she hurts us?"_

_"She'll be drugged everyday…She'll be weak," He insisted. "She's in the basement right now. Her name is Camilla Salvatore. I know you have never seen a vampire before and that you are terrified, but you have to trust me. We are the governors. If people see their governor keeping vampire slaves, they'll be more eager to keep slaves."_

_"I'm going to trust you on this," Miranda finally said. "But you'll have to make sure that she's drugged everyday to keep her weak."_

* * *

_That evening, Grayson brought the traumatized vampire to the house, still bound in vervain sunken ropes. Camilla looked around the unfamiliar surroundings. She had never fed on people before, and suddenly she was a human's prisoner. She knew that this was not going to end well._

_"Camilla!" Her captorbarked, catching her attention. "My name is Grayson Gilbert and you will be serving my family. You will have to give blood to us at any time I see fit-"_

_"Grayson…" Miranda said uncomfortably. _

_He turned to his wife. "Don't tell me that you pity her! She's a monster!"_

_"P-Please, S-sir," Camilla stammered, "I haven't done anything wrong, I don't even f-feed on-"_

_"Shut up!" The governor snapped, taking a syringe from his back pocket. "I will use this vervain on you if I have to!"_

_He turned to Miranda. "She will be helping you out. You said you needed a maid-now you have one," He smiled at her, gave Camilla a cold look and kissed his wife. "You know where the vervain is."_

_Miranda nodded her head and watched as her husband took a sandwich from the table and headed out. She didn't know what to say or how to act. She was not evil, and even though the woman in front of her wasn't human, she certainly didn't look dangerous at that time. In fact, she looked normal. Black hair, blueish greenish eyes, and she could have passed for a woman in her early thirties. Her head was bowed and Miranda took a step towards her hesitantly._

_"Please don't use the syringe on me," Camilla begged. _

_"I won't," Miranda said quickly, maybe too quickly. "Not unless you put my life at risk."_

_Camilla raised her shoulders slightly. "I won't, and even if I want to, I can't. I have no fangs. They ripped them out, Madam."_

_Miranda flinched. "All I need is some help around the house."_

_"That's it?" Camilla asked her in surprise. "That's all you need?"_

_She nodded. "Yes."_

_Camilla remained standing, afraid to move. _

_"I'll show you to your room…" Miranda said, walking towards one of the guest bedrooms, still keeping a safe distance from Camilla. "Grayson will be bringing you clothes and other needs."_

_She nodded obediently. _

_"I'll let you settle in."_

* * *

_**Six Months Later**_

_Camilla sat down on the bed, which was comfortable enough. She had asked Miranda for a book, and her human owner had agreed. Miranda was not like Grayson. _

_To be fair, Grayson wasn't like the other humans she had heard about, because she had heard many stories about sexual abuse and violence. She had never been beaten by eitherof them, even though that it was evident that Grayson hated her. _

_Although she was a slave and she was in chains, she had figured out that this life was much better than her abusive marriage to Giuseppe. She didn't even know how she had fallen in love with him, but he used to be different. She had been suffering for over twenty years and as much as she hated to admit it, she was safer here than anywhere near him. _

_There was a knock and Camilla straightened. It was a Sunday and she got the day off, but Miranda didn't usually talk to her in Camilla's bedroom, even though recently they had been having short and informal conversations. _

_"Come in," Camilla said slowly. _

_The door opened and Miranda came in, putting a bottle of blood on Camilla's nightstand. _

_"I have your lunch," She said. _

_"Thank you, Madam," Camilla replied politely, getting off the bed. _

_"It's chilled…" Miranda added, even though it was obvious that she had said that to start a conversation with the slave. _

_"Madam? Is something wrong?" Camilla asked. _

_"Nothing's wrong, Camilla, I'm just tired," Miranda sighed, but smiled at her for once. Her gaze fell on the wedding ring on the chest of drawers. Her eyes widened. _

_"You're married?" _

_Camilla nodded her head. "I was, Madam. I don't know where my husband is. He was taken as well."_

_Miranda didn't know what to say, but then settled for a simple "I'm sorry."_

_"Thank you," Camilla nodded her head slightly. _

_"My husband wants children…" Miranda said at last. "I don't know if I'm able to try again. I had a miscarriage one year after our wedding."_

_"I'm sorry to hear that…" Camilla said a bit awkwardly. "Vampires cannot have children."_

_"You cannot?" Miranda's eyes widened. "Does that bother you?"_

_"It depends. It does, at times," Camilla admitted. "I've been married for twenty years. I've stopped the aging process and therefore I will be stuck in this body forever. I was made to do it, because if it were up to me, I would've grown old and died like a human. A child would have given me purpose."_

_"You don't like being a vampire?"_

_"It has its pros and cons," Camilla explained. "But I know humans, Madam. I was born a human, unlike my husband. My mother was able to give birth to me because my father was human. I have human blood inside of me, not all vampires do, even though everyone has human emotions in them while they are in process of becoming a vampire. When we do transform, it's up to us to keep the human part of us alive."_

_"Have you?"_

_"I'm sorry?"_

_"Have you kept it alive?"_

_Camilla smiled and nodded. "Yes, Madam."_

_Miranda looked at the woman in front of her with respect. In those six months, she had observed Camilla and she felt like the woman was not so much different from her. If anything, she had tried to tell Grayson that Camilla was more humane than anyone else in that neighbourhood. _

_"I'll leave you to rest," Miranda said after a while. _

* * *

_A few weeks passed and it was a very cold night in December. It was snowing and it was dark by five in the evening, and Miranda was all alone again because Grayson was working till late. She went to the kitchen to prepare a quick snack, but sighed when she realised that she was out of milk and eggs. Camilla was busy cleaning and she still couldn't send her outside because it was prohibited, and her slave would be sentenced to death if she were caught outside without being accompanied by a human. _

_"I have to go and buy some groceries," Miranda called out, and left without waiting for an answer. _

_The street was almost completely empty since it was very cold, and Miranda's teeth started to chatter. She tightened the jacket around her and quickly walked to the grocery store, which was already closing. _

_"You're closing early today!" Miranda said as soon as she saw the shop assistant. _

_"Yeah, we'll be taking this evening off," She smiled politely at her, "But I'll wait for you if there are a few items you need."_

_Miranda thanked her and quickly brought a carton of eggs and a couple of items. The girl placed everything in a bag and soon she was out in the street again, walking back home quickly before she'd freeze to death. _

_She was just a corner away from the house when suddenly, Miranda felt someone behind her. She ignored it, but hurried up anyway. Before she could even take another step, she felt a hand on her mouth. _

_"The governor's not being very protective of his wife, is he?" The voice said in her ear, and Miranda panicked. She started to squirm around in his grip before biting him hard, causing him to gasp. At that, Miranda screamed and called out for help, all while running. _

_"Shut up, bitch!" He roared, dragging her to one of the cars before throwing her to the floorroughly._

_"Help!" Miranda screamed as the man increased his grip. Before anything else could happen, however, there was a woosh of air and suddenly the man was thrown upwards until he hit the car with a thump, making him lose consciousness in an instant. The alarm went off and suddenly, people started to appear in their yards. Miranda looked up to see the eyes of her saviour-Camilla, who was looking at her with fear in her eyes. _

_"Please don't turn me in," She begged her, referring to the fact that she had been outside. _

_Miranda caught her breath, still dizzy from the fall and from the attempted kidnapping. _

_"You're fading fast," Camilla said a bit panicked, but then wrapped her arm around the human's shoulder and guided her outside, without even caring that she could be shot dead if anyone saw her holding her owner like that. _

_When they reached the house, Camilla managed to get Miranda on a sofa and immediately served her a hot drink. She was still a bit dozed off but when her eyes opened, she couldn't believe that Camilla was her saviour. _

_"You saved me," Miranda said in confusion. _

_"I couldn't leave you out there…" Camilla told her. "I know that I'm not supposed to-"_

_"Thank you," Miranda told her. "Thank You."_

* * *

_**Present**_

"You know that as a Catholic, you've done the right thing," The priest said. "You respected others even though they are different."

"No, father, you don't understand," Camilla said with difficulty. "I don't regret saving Miranda. But this, this was the beginning of my friendship with her."

The priest waited patiently for her to elaborate.

"It was also during this time that I started to earn Grayson's trust. As years went by, I was fully accepted into their family."

She took a deep breath. "And it was then that I committed the grave sin of adultery."

* * *

**A/N: So, as you can see, this story is not simply a story where vampires are predators. Through science and technology, humans have become dangerous to vamps as well. Camilla was indeed a slave and she got her fangs ripped off during this time. **

**Regarding Confession: It's part of religious (Catholic) teaching, in which a person confesses his/her sins. Doing it before death will make you pure and free of sin, so Camilla wants to die 'purely'. The priest is forever bound to your secret and he cannot ever share what you've done. (IMPORTANT for this story) **

**Thanks for reading, please Review!**


	14. Chapter 14

**This is officially the last chapter in which we see Damon and Elena as children. Finally! But, the story's going to be long, so don't worry! **

**I had a lot of problems to write this because somehow, I couldn't form any words. However, thanks to ThroughMySoul44's support and help, I managed. So, here's a longer chapter for you guys and I hope you enjoy. **

**Please Review!**

* * *

"My dear child," The priest started, but Camilla cut him off.

"My husband knows," She said, her voice shaking. "He has always been abusive and ever since my affair he has just become worse."

"Tell me about it…" The priest encouraged her. "I won't judge you. Not even God will."

"It started in 1998, a few months after Miranda died. I had always been faithful to Grayson before that. Miranda had been sick for a long time, and even though I tried to save her, it was no use. Grayson had begun to trust me as a member of their family since I really did try to help. Even though my freedom was gone, I had never felt safer. Unlike my husband, neither Grayson nor Miranda ever raised their hands to me."

"I know that I should've been loyal to my husband, and not to them…especially since they were humans," Camilla said sadly, "But I always felt that I'm more human than I am vampire. Maybe it's because my father was initially a human."

The priest said nothing.

"A few months after Miranda died, some old friends of Grayson came over for dinner. They started to make fun of me and humiliate me, but Grayson stepped in. He didn't care, he didn't even care that as a governor he was setting a bad example. After they left, he even apologised on their behalf. He knew that I had done so much for their family."

She wiped her tear away. "You have to understand, Father. I hadn't seen my husband in eight years. I didn't even know if he was alive. I hated him for what he had done to me, for stealing my life, my job, and everything about me. I hated how he used to force himself on me even when I didn't want to. I found comfort in Grayson. He soon started to talk to me more often, showing signs of protectiveness until I started to realise that we were both falling for each other. It wasn't only gratefulness he showed towards me, it was more than that."

"But you did understand that what you were doing was wrong, right?" He asked her.

"Yes. When we were together, I felt guilt bite me like a rabid dog, at first. I felt guilty mostly because of the sin I was committing and I also felt that I was betraying Miranda since it happened not too long after her death. But then I started to realise that I wanted him, and nothing could stop me from having him."

* * *

Grayson hurriedly put the material he needed in his bag. He had given Camilla the cure she needed in a powdered form, but he knew that vervain had a lot of effects on vampires. If she were truly in a comatose state, she wouldn't be able to heal unless someone did it for her, and he had made Camilla vow to keep that cure for emergencies only. He had taught her how to use it but he didn't want other vampires to know that there was an antidote, and he doubted that any of the other vampires knew how to save her.

He had to go there. Even though they hadn't departed peacefully, he had always loved her. It had pained him to watch her go all those years ago, but in the end, they had both made their choices. Still, she was his true love. He loved Miranda, but he had never loved her as much as he had loved Camilla, even when she betrayed him and chose her vampire race over what they had.

He hurried to the big, white van that he owned, making sure to get the weapons necessary. He would get in, save Camilla, and then get out. He couldn't let her see him. He just needed to save her. The weapons his brother, Tom, had created were strong enough to put vampires to sleep as he crossed the town border. He knew how to do it…Everything was going to go as planned. After all, according to Elena, Giuseppe wasn't there and Giuseppe was the one that Grayson feared because as a governor, he had a lot of power.

Grayson hopped into the van, without noticing that Elena was safely hidden in one of the corners.

* * *

Knowing that his mother took confession very seriously, Damon decided to leave the house to give her the privacy she needed. He ran back to his favourite place, on the hill, and just laid there on the grass thinking about everything that had happened in the past few days. From where he was, he could see that the distant roads were like shallow rivers. Rain had been pouring down on him mercilessly, darkening the environment around him, but he didn't care.

He felt hurt. He knew that Elena wasn't a vampire and that she missed her family, but he never imagined that she had the guts to leave his mother there, broken, and disappear without even saying goodbye. She knew that she was important to him. He had always treated her right. What did she think? That he'd let her live as a slave forever? He could've saved her if she had given him a chance. But no, she had taken matters into her own hands and now he was broken and his mother was on her deathbed.

Tears streamed down his cheek as he looked at the empty space beside him. He was with Elena the last time he was there. It hadn't ended well, but at least they had enjoyed a night out together. He had enjoyed waking up with her lying so close to him, and feeling her warm breath on his face. But all of that was gone now. He wasn't going to see her again.

Damon left the place without looking back, and headed to the central part of the town to try and ease his nerves. He couldn't wait to go back home, but he had to respect his mother's privacy. He took a deep breath and headed towards the supermarket, a few miles away from the town's border, to try and figure out how humans had managed to enter their quiet town and destroy their happiness.

* * *

Camilla continued to breathe with difficulty, and the priest was growing worried.

"Camilla, you need to rest," He told her.

"No," She said, her voice full of determination. "I have to continue. Please, Father."

The priest hesitated, but then nodded his head.

"I loved him, and he loved me," She said. "Our relationship got more intense. Things were going wonderfully until I learnt that Giuseppe was still alive and was being held captive by a member of authority. He wasn't lucky as I was-He was used for experiments and brutally tortured. No matter how much I hated him, when I heard the news, I was horrified. I was horrified that Grayson let his authority members do such horrible things to people…He said that he wanted to create a cure for all the diseases in the world, using vampire blood. I couldn't believe it." She shuddered. "Then my husband somehow escaped and created a rebellion. There was an intense battle in the city and he found me soon enough. I didn't want to go back to Giuseppe, because I still trusted Grayson. I knew that unlike Giuseppe, he'd never hurt me."

A tear streamed down Camilla's cheek. "Giuseppe and Grayson got into a horrifying fight, to the point where they both had weapons against each other's bodies. I begged them to stop, to talk this through, but all they cared about was death. During all of this, Giuseppe made me choose. He told me that it was either my humanity or my vampirism. One of them was going to die for sure. I chose Giuseppe…not because I loved him, but because I knew that he'd come back for me and Grayson and kill us both. Grayson didn't think of it like that. He thought that I had betrayed him, that he never meant anything to me. He said that by choosing Giuseppe, I was choosing vampirism. I begged him for my freedom and he granted it without complaint-he was so hurt…But I had to. I had to choose Giuseppe. After the brutal tortures, I realised that maybe relationships between vampires and humans never work out. He still chose his humanity by hurting those vampires and he had tried to change me into a human on many occasions, and even though he loved me, he never fully accepted the fact that I'm a vampire—and therefore he never fully accepted _me_."

* * *

Grayson drove faster, and Elena tried to hold on for dear life. She had never seen her father this eager and suddenly the thought began to frighten her. From where she was, she couldn't see anything except darkness and at times, her father's reckless driving was forcing her to lose balance. She could hear her father talking on the phone with someone, but she couldn't quite make out what he was saying. All she could hear was the sound of the engine running.

A few more minutes passed and when the car finally stopped, Elena felt a wave of nausea rushing over her, but tried to remain calm. She saw her father get out, carrying something in his hands, and saw two figures hurrying towards him. She recognised one as her grandfather.

"We've cleaned the area from the guards, but we don't have many weapons left," He informed him. "You get in the house, and you get out.I hope, however, you do realise that you are risking a bloodbath here, right?"

"I have to do this…" Grayson said.

"Then you must be careful and you must hurry," His father almost snapped, "The vervain won't last long and there could be other guards. You have to take the underground tunnels, okay? They will lead you straight to the Salvatore house."

Back in the van, Elena didn't know how her grandfather was standing so casually in a vampire town without flinching. He seemed to be talking about Mystic Falls as if it were a place he frequented often, and this confused her. She knew that humans wouldn't just risk their lives in a vampire town like that, and besides, what kind of weapons did her grandfather have to be able to put vampires to sleep?

Grayson nodded his head and Elena hissed when she realised that she couldn't follow him any longer. She would have to sit there and wait, because now even her grandfather was standing there by the van, weapons in hand. His eyes were locked with his son, who was quietly walking in the direction he had pointed at.

Meanwhile, Grayson carefully walked through the tunnel, trying not to make a noise. He knew that there was a long way because his father had informed him, but somehow he knew that he was going to make it. The only fear he had was that of Camilla staying in a hospital, because he knew that he wouldn't be able to survive should he even consider walking next to those hungry vampires. Sighing, he kept the cure safely tucked in one hand, hoping that he could make it through without any problems.

* * *

"Camilla," The priest said as the woman stopped for breath, "You are ready to make peace with yourself and with God. He will forgive you for your sins."

"Not yet, Father," Camilla cried. "I haven't told you my worst sin yet." Tears continued to stream down her cheek. Sweat began to form on her forehead, goosebumps prickling all over her body when she made the huge effort to face the priest directly. Her hands started to shake and her breath caught in her throat, but she had to be free of that one last sin.

"I lied, Father," Camilla finally choked out. "I'm an adulteress and I'm a liar. I don't deserve to be forgiven."

"Don't say that, Camilla. God doesn't judge," The priest hushed her.

"You don't understand! I lied to Giuseppe. Damon's not his!" Camilla cried out, the little bit of strength she had draining as she raised her voice." He thinks he is, because at that time, the first cure for infertility had been created and he knew that I could have children. But Damon is not his, and I asked my friend to switch the DNA test results when Giuseppe demanded them. Can't you see, Father? I lied!"

At that, tears flowed down her cheek at a prompt pace, stunning the priest at that information, but he knew that God would have mercy on her soul. He put his hands together and prayed deeply for her and her family, wanting to assure her that she was going to find peace. He grabbed her hand tightly and encouraged her to pray for forgiveness.

By the time the priest had finished praying, Camilla was a mess, but at least she knew that she would die in a pure form and that if there was a Heaven, she had a chance to experience it. The Priest gave her hands a comforting pat on the shoulder and asked her if she wanted him to stay with her, but she just asked for her son instead. He nodded his head and left the room, saying another prayer for her, his heart aching.

Camilla's head rested against the pillow and she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, guilt infesting itself inside her heart. She couldn't tell Giuseppe-He would surely abandon Damon. That boy needed him, as much as she hated to admit it, Damon still had to live under the same roof.

She found her locket, with the Gilbert Coat of Arms, and studied it delicately, her heart filling with remorse. Grayson was a sweet, beautiful dream…but he was just that. A dream. There could not have been a future, even if she had stayed. She took it off and placed it on the nightstand, and cried even harder when she realised why Elena meant so much to Damon. She was his half-sister. That was the only explanation. She had to tell him that. She had to tell Damon the truth. What was taking him so long?

Camilla looked at the surroundings one last time. She had always hated that bedroom. It made her feel like a foreigner in her own house. Maybe it was because of the countless times Giuseppe had forced her to his bed. Looking at the old, chunky furniture which used to crack whenever young Damon would run and jump by made her realise how much she had to go through. Giuseppe had always considered her to be a lesser species, and she didn't even know why she had agreed to marry him. When she was caught by the humans and she lost her fangs, a part of her was pleased that Giuseppe hadn't won-that Camilla could survive in her human form, unlike him, whose pride would've definitely prevented him from surviving.

She looked up, suddenly appreciating the small things: The simple paintings, the toys, and the ornaments Damon used to create for her, the rusty smell of the furniture… She had never really appreciated the beauty in life, with the sin she hid making it impossible to appreciate anything.

She closed her eyes again, but soon opened them when she heard the door opening. A smile formed on her lips, but quickly disappeared when she realised that it wasn't Damon.

"Hello, Camilla…"

It was Giuseppe. His voice was hoarse, his face angry. Fear settled into Camilla's features as she backed up against the headboard, watching Giuseppe walk towards her like a beast. She didn't even have the chance to scream. She felt pressure and pain on her heart, and the life slowly drained from her.

* * *

Grayson practically ran the last few yards and was relieved when he finally found himself in the backyard of the Salvatore plantation. He hurriedly walked into the house with ease, and ran straight upstairs, opening and closing the bedroom doors in desperation. Only when he opened one of the doors, he fell to his knees at the sight in front of him.

Camilla was gone. Dead, ashen.

"Such a beautiful sight, isn't it?"

Grayson turned around, a lump forming in his throat and tears falling down his cheek. He was about to ask what happened when suddenly he saw the blood covering Giuseppe's fingertips and the stake in his hands. Realization settled in.

"You did this to her!" Grayson roared, running towards him, head first, like a savage beast, "You did this!"

Giuseppe just stepped aside, watching in delight as Grayson fell to the floor with a loud thump. The latter quickly stood back up and started to throw vervain at him, but horror filled his features when he realised that nothing was working on him. Giuseppe just casually walked towards him, grabbed the darts, twisted Grayson's arms at an odd angle and laughed.

"I'm the governor, you're going to need something stronger than that!" He roared, snapping his bones easily. Grayson let out a scream as he kept trying to fight back, but Giuseppe's strength was conquering his. Without weapons and science, Grayson knew that he was nothing.

"She had a child with you!" Grayson roared, "A child I used to call my son!"

At that, he grabbed Grayson's face and twisted it 360 degrees, watching in delight as his wife's lover fell to the floor, lifeless.

* * *

Elena was growing impatient, and to make matters worse, it was getting colder and darker. Her grandfather had left and so had his companion, and she knew that she wasn't safe in a vampire town. The small girl crawled her way to the front seat and tried to look out the window. There, in the moonlight, a blue-eyed boy caught her attention. He was out there, sobbing at the same spot Camilla was taken, the spot covered by police tape. She couldn't take it anymore.

"Damon!" She started to yell without thinking twice. "Damon!"

At first, Damon thought he was dreaming. But as her voice grew more intense and he caught a glimpse of her in the van, his legs automatically carrying him to her. All anger towards her was gone. She had chosen him. She was back!

"Elena!" He cried, "You're here!"

"Help me get out," Elena begged him, referring to the locked door, "I could use your vampire strength."

Smiling, Damon used the right amount of force and the door swung open, and he immediately picked Elena up and held her closer to him.

"I thought you left…I thought…"

"I came back," Elena said, squeezing his hands. "We have to talk about this, Damon. I think we can be together…we can find a way. My father knows your mot-"

Before she could finish, however, there was a loud scream, and a couple of vampire howls were heard. Damon's head snapped around in fright as Elena whimpered, "What was that?"

"Humans! Humans in town! The Governor's wife is dead!" A voice roared, and Damon realised that it was the town's audio system, used in cases of emergency.

"Seal the borders!" The voice continued to roar, and panic took over Elena. Her father was in there, and so was her grandfather. She couldn't just leave them there!

In all that chaos, Damon barely realised that Elena was turning an alarming shade of white. His mind was still processing. His mother…No, it couldn't be! He didn't even have the chance to say goodbye!

It was Elena's scream that snapped him back to reality. As soon as he turned, he saw Elena being seized by at least a dozen vampires, who were baring their fangs at her and putting chains on her like a caged animal.

"Dear child, are you alright?" A woman asked Damon, "Has she hurt you?"

"No! Let her go!" Damon roared, making his way through the crowd.

"The poor child just lost his mother. He's not being reasonable," one said.

"His father would want to see this slave in prison. Seize her!" Another continued.

"Don't you think he should be the one to punish her?"

"Stop it!

All of you!" Damon roared, "Let her go! I don't want you to hurt her!"

"You don't want them to hurt her?" A familiar voice hissed, and Damon's blood ran cold when he saw his father standing in front of him. "You imbecile!"

With a roar, Giuseppe ordered a vampire to bring Elena forward as he started to use his vampire speed, pulling Damon behind him. The other dragged Elena as well and both of the two children started to scream at the force done on them. Their screams were the only sounds to fill the void night and as their legs repetitively slipped because of the wet soil, the two older vampires simply increased their paces until blood covered both Damon and Elena's legs. The road was uneven, and at one point Elena even felt pieces of glass and gravel just beneath her shoes.

As soon as they reached the Salvatore Plantation within minutes, and both vampires sped into the bedroom.

Giuseppe moved towards Elena and grabbed her from her hair, smiling in delight when he pushed her down on the floor. Then, he savagely forced her head up and she screamed in horror when she saw her father hanging from the ceiling fan, a rope around his neck.

Damon started to sob, and at that, Giuseppe laughed. "You're weak! There, son! There's your mother!" He roared, forcing him down on his knees next to Elena so that he could see his dead mother and Grayson. "That's what a human does! That's what Elena's going to become!" He roared, kicking Elena with all his might. "These are the savages you want to protect!"

"N-No…N-No…"

"He killed her!" Giuseppe screamed, "Her father killed your mother! That's the kind of beings humans are, you fucking imbecile! Can you see it now? Can you?"

"This is why we must kill!" Giuseppe roared, "Because it's kill or be killed. And you wanted to protect her!"

"N-No," Damon whimpered.

"Yes! I bet she was in the van to distract you! You're so soft, Damon…See? See why I warned you?"

Giuseppe turned to the other vampire. "Take the girl away. I'll deal with her later!"

"Damon, no!" Elena begged him, reaching out to touch his arm, "I didn't know this was going to happen, Damon, please!"

"No! Don't you touch me!" Damon roared. "This is your fault!"

"Please, Damon! I didn't know!" She begged, but was silenced by a harsh kick to her stomach before being dragged away, the darkness enveloping her. She couldn't believe it. It had to be some kind of strange dream. She didn't think that it would end up like this.

And it was then that Elena realised how stupid she had been. Much like a grieving parent or a mourning and loyal dog who still waited for his owner to come back even after death, Elena had let false hope take over her to the point that she actually believed that someday, vampires and humans could walk in the same town without any fear or conflict. She hated herself for even thinking that she could have both Damon and her family at the same time.

When she saw Damon's back towards her, standing by the vampires' side like a soldier, she knew that he had chosen his destiny...and it wasn't as her ally.

* * *

**Summary: (Please Read)**

***Camilla revealed that she was in love with Grayson, however she knew that it was impossible for them to have a successful relationship even though he loved her too. Giuseppe knew about the affair, and since he hated humans (he was tortured by them) when Camilla returned to him he just became more violent to keep punishing her. **

***Grayson had given the powdered cure to Camilla to protect herself from vervain, which is and still was the thing that makes humans powerful. In this story, Vampires have no idea how vervain is created and therefore it is a major weakness. Camilla had promised Grayson not to tell anyone about this cure, and out of her love for him, she kept the promise. As stated, Camilla embraced her human side more than her vampire one at times, however she still cured vampires in hospitals whenever she could **

*****When Camilla found out that she was pregnant, a 'cure' for infertility in vampires had been discovered. Therefore, it was easy for Camilla to get a nurse's help in faking the DNA test results after being involved with both Giuseppe and Grayson, convincing Giuseppe that Damon was his son. This therefore makes Damon and Elena half-siblings (MORE to come on this!)****

*****Giuseppe heard Camilla revealing the truth, and killed her himself out of rage, then put the blame on Grayson. He managed to convince Damon that humans are dangerous-let's face it, he is a twelve year old boy whose mother just died. He is vulnerable and easily manipulated. Elena is taken away, but we still do not know what happened to her grandfather and his companion. ****

****There will be a time jump next chapter, and I will be using flashbacks when needed. ****

****BEWARE: The story is going to be DARK from this point on. It is Rated M and whilst I tried not to include a lot of violence as they were still children and I hate writing about that, it is now the time to experiment with other aspects of the story. So yes, it is Rated M, and there will be violence, sexual elements, and language. ****

****Thank You for Reading, Please Review!****


	15. Chapter 15

**I'm back with a new chapter! I hope you enjoy it.**

**I've also started a new story called "If Only You Knew". I would appreciate it if you read and review it :)**

**Huge thanks to my beta ThroughMySoul44 for her help on this one.**

**This chapter is definitely M rated!**

* * *

_**7 Years Later**_

Breathlessly, Elena scrubbed the floor harder. Her forehead was covered with perspiration and her hair was sticking to her face, but she did not dare to push it away. She couldn't waste a second. The Salvatores had guests, and she knew that it would end badly for her if she missed a spot.

Soft footsteps stamped against the floor and a shiver ran down the girl's spine. From the corner of her eye, she saw Damon, his muddy shoes decorating the wet wax she had just applied. His cold gaze locked with hers, his back straight as he sipped on a glass of orange juice.

"Please, sir, I just waxed the floors," Elena said, her head bowed down. "Can you please take your shoes off?"

Damon didn't bat an eyelid. Instead, his eyes locked with Elena's and with an evil grin, he poured the juice out of the bottle and onto the floor, as Elena looked at him in disbelief.

"Mop it up," He ordered her.

Elena nodded quickly. She was used to his orders, to his harsh voice treating her like an object. After seven years, she had become used to it. Damon had never forgiven her for what happened to his mother, even though she had nothing to do with it.And now that he had grown up, Elena knew that he hated all humans with passion, and the more Giuseppe pushed him to take the route of a governor, the worse Damon became.

Taking the mop in her hands, Elena mopped the mud and juice away without glancing at her master.

"Breakfast is on the table, Sir," Elena informed him, but Damon didn't even acknowledge her. He started to eat his toast, focusing on the newspapers as his crumbs sprinkled the floor, grinning evilly at Elena while doing so. He enjoyed watching her tears of frustration and anger.

Elena didn't say anything because she knew that she couldn't. She just continued to wash the floor in silence until Damon stood up, grabbed his backpack without a word, and left for school.

The girl breathed out a sigh of relief, stopping for a few minutes to catch her breath and to arrange the maid's uniform which was very uncomfortable. If it were up to her, she'd trade that dress for the comfortable jogging pants she used to wear when she was younger, but Giuseppe had made it clear that a slave should wear a uniform that distinguishes her from the rest of the household. All the colourful clothing had been taken away from her, and all she had was the black slave's dress as well as another one which was of a brownish colour, and a couple of dresses that were a bit more formal for when the Salvatores had guests.

She sighed, took a sponge and got on her hands and feet so that she could start to scrub another area. Even though she always ended up with a severe back ache afterwards, it was better to be safe than sorry. She knew that the mop wasn't always practical when it came to removing small beads of dirt.

Someone suddenly coughed and Elena's head jerked back. To her horror, Giuseppe was kneeling beside her, smiling. She was confused for a moment-Giuseppe never smiled and her fear of him had only increased over the years. Sure, Damon was a jerk and he verbally abused her, but he had never touched her. Giuseppe, on the other hand, often whipped her with his belt, and she knew that he loved to hurt her. Elena bit back a scream and jumped when she suddenly felt his fingers on her leg. Her eyes widened in horror, unaware of what was going on as his fingers drew circles on her skin.

"Turn around, Elena. Carry on," He whispered in her ear, swatting her butt playfully when he realised that she had stopped scrubbing. Unwillingly, Elena got on her knees again and tried to turn her attention to the mud-covered area.

"Good girl," He praised her, moving his finger up to her thigh painfully slow to taunt her. She tried to remain calm, unsure of what he was doing, but she was certainly not enjoying his touch. His index moved under her skirt and at that, Elena panicked. Despite her innocence, she did know that it wasn't appropriate.

"Please," She begged him.

"Elena," Giuseppe said, a stern look on his face. "You turned sixteen last week. It is a slave's duty to satisfy her master."

Confusion and fear manifested in Elena's expression. "What are you talking about, Sir? I can't understand, I've been good. Just please don't hurt me."

"Hush, sweetheart…" Giuseppe said, his hand running over her perineum through her underwear. "You don't have to be afraid. I won't hurt you if you cooperate and if you let me touch you."

With tears in her eyes, Elena complied. She felt pure disgust as she felt his fingers continuing to brush against her feminine regions, and the poor girl nearly gagged when he caressed her hipbone. Then, without warning, he gripped her face and pressed his mouth to hers. It was the first time that Elena had been kissed and it was nothing like the Disney movies she had watched as a child. His mouth dominated hers as he squeezed her cheeks together. Strategically, the man turned her over so that he was pinning her body down on the flooring. Elena gasped as his weight fell on top of her, his kisses turning hungrier. A tear streamed down her cheek, her mind unable to comprehend what was going on. He had never done something like this to her and she didn't know what to do. His hands were now playing with her clothed breasts, and it was then that Elena mustered up the power to push him off her.

Her blood ran cold, however, when she saw the evil look in his eyes. He headed for her like a dangerous animal, and he threw himself on her even rougher than before.

"A slave does not push her master off!" He roared at her, "You belong to me, you ungrateful slut, and if I want to touch you…" He cupped her breast harshly, "I can fucking touch you."

At that, he stood up, spat at her, and left the room without feeling the slightest remorse.

* * *

"So, you will be the new governor tonight?" Stefan Von Swartzchild asked as he and about four other vampires surrounded Damon during lunch. "You will be signing the contract?"

"No," Damon informed him, "But I will be going to the offices toobserve the different roles of all the authority members. My father will train me and then I will take his place as soon as he retires. I'll be discussing the matter during dinner tonight."

"So, that's it then," Stefan said with a grin, "You'll be the governor? Why are you even bothering with school?"

Damon shrugged. "There's still quite a long way to go. Running an area is never easy."

"My father tells me that often," Stefan said.

"Of course. My father works hand in hand with Mr. Von Swartzchild," Damon smiled briefly at him. "Maybe someday, it'll be us."

"I don't know, the route of politics isn't really my thing," Stefan sighed.

"Well, never say never," Damon said. "I didn't want to be a governor when I was younger."

"What changed your mind?"

"Circumstances," Damon said firmly, his mind drifting back to Elena.

* * *

_**7 Years before **_

_"We've caught her other family relatives, Damon. They were all in this together. Elena is currently under my care, and I'm considering transporting her to another country in which she'll be sold as a slave." _

_"No," Damon replied, his voice full of venom and anger. "Keep her here, with us. She'll work off her debt and watch as I'll be the one to destroy the rest of her family and her human town. You were right, dad. They are monsters-I can understand why you wanted me to become a governor. I can bring justice back."_

_"That's all I ever wanted from you, son. Her grandfather and his companion are currently in jail. What do you think I should do with them?"_

_"Whatever needs to be done, to ensure that my mother gets the justice deserved."_

* * *

"Damon…Earth to Damon…" Stefan sang-songed.

"I'm sorry, I guess I'm not awake yet," Damon shook his head. "Would you like to come to the house after dinner? All of you," Damon turned to Tyler and Matt. "We can hang out at my place. Dinner's at eight, so you can all come at around nine-thirty. We'll be ready by then."

"Sounds good," Stefan said. "We need this boys' night out. What games should I bring? Racing games? War games? Fighting games?" He said, a bit too excitedly.

"I don't care, as long as they are games," Damon smiled. "I have to go to class. I'll see you guys tonight."

* * *

The day passed by quickly, and Elena managed to cook a very mouthwatering meal to serve during dinner. She had been working her ass off that day, and the cuff around her leg was really hurting her. It seemed tighter than usual, not to mention that she couldn't wait to get out of there. She always felt humiliated when the Salvatores had guests, especially with the cuff on.

Elena knew that it was a big deal, because Damon had been talking about signing a new contract that indicated an internship with his own father, with the permission of the other area governors. Because of the special occasion, she had managed to create a very business-like atmosphere. She checked the table to ensure that the necessary cutlery, wines, and blood glasses were all there, and waited for Giuseppe to tell her when she should start serving. The first guest was already seated, his back turned towards her, ignoring her completely. She was grateful for that.

Soon, all the guests arrived, and as a sign of courtesy, she had to offer each one her wrist to drink from. It was her first dinner of this sort, because she usually left when the guests arrived, and she was deadly afraid of what they expected of her. However, Giuseppe had explained the procedure. She was to offer her blood to all the guests, and then serve the wine. She jumped out of her skin when Giuseppe grabbed her from the waist harshly, and hissed, "Where are your manners, slave?"

It was then that she realised that she had skipped the part of the 'blood-offering' and went straight for the wine.

"I'm sorry, Sir," She apologised as she gave him her wrist. She turned her head away, not wanting to see his teeth ripinto her skin, but his loud hiss indicated that he wanted her to look at him.

The man released her wrist after a few moments, and Elena began to walk around the table, offering blood, her head bowed in pain and humiliation. Some accepted, while others refused, but Giuseppe made sure that everyone got a taste, tossing her around like a piece of meat. When she reached Damon, she flinched. He had never bitten her before. He wasn't even a fully transformed vampire yet. The others were watching him like a hawk, and he looked at her in confusion. Apparently, he didn't know that this was a general rule between the authority members, to share slaves before dinner.

His first instinct was to say 'no', because as much as he hated Elena, he didn't want to bite her. Not there. Not then. But, the mens' eyes were piercing his, and he forced a cold façade and snatched her wrist so roughly that Elena jumped. She looked at him in fright and disbelief as he too bit into her skin. His fangs were less painful, since they weren't as strong-but they still cut deep. He drank for no more than two seconds before letting her go.

"You can serve the wine and the first course, Elena. Then you can go upstairs-we'll take care of the rest," Giuseppe informed her. "And hurry up."

Elena nodded, and Damon could see the tear that fell down her cheek.

* * *

"So, you do understand that in this period, you will be trained according to the Mystic Falls law? Are you ready to accept the responsibility that comes with the running of this area, after you have completed the training?"

"Yes," Damon said firmly.

"And you do realise that as a governor, you still have to take decisions with the rest of the board? The other authority members?"

"Yes," Damon nodded. "I am well aware that the governor still has to work in a team, however he'll be the one to have the last say."

"And you do know that your loyalty is to your race, right? Even if it goes against your moral beliefs?"

Damon nodded his head.

"The slave…" One of the board members said, "Do you think that she'll be a distraction? I remember you together as children."

"That changed," Damon said sternly. "My loyalty is towards my people."

The board seemed convinced enough. They turned to Giuseppe. "We see no reason why we shouldn't let you train him. He sounds determined, and you should be, son. Your mission starts from here. You are trained thanks to the public's funds, so it is very important for you to understand that you will become a governor right after the training finishes, which will only get intense in time. There will be no turning back after the training is complete. You have to understand that we only train determined people due to limited funds. If you want an out, it's now. You cannot back off at a later stage."

"I understand," Damon nodded.

"Then if you are sure, you can sign the contract," Mr. Van Swartzchild said, handing Damon a long sheet of paper. "You can read it and then deliver it whenever you can."

Damon nodded. "Thank you for your time."

* * *

At 9.30 sharp, Stefan, Tyler, and Matt were right outside the Boarding House, waiting patiently for Damon to let them in. They had beers, spirits, and games in their backpacks, and they were totally prepared for a fun evening. Damon let them all into his gigantic bedroom, closed the door, and switched his playstation on. Within minutes, they were all lost in the video game.

"Fuck!" Tyler screamed when Damon's avatar pushed his off a cliff, and Damon laughed.

"Loser."

"It's just a game," Tyler said, but it was written in his face-he was pissed off.

"Another one," He challenged Damon, as their avatars fought in thefire arena. Damon smirked. He knew that he was going to win-it was his favourite game after all. Tyler only cursed louder when he realised that he was no match for Damon.

"Good game," Matt called out. "But hey, man, you have anything to eat with these beers?"

"I have some nachos," Damon said, "I'll go get them."

"Good," The other boys called out.

* * *

Elena was neatly folding her laundry in the bedroom when she heard laughter coming from the hallway. She was tired, and had put her pyjamas on already. She knew that the guests from dinner had left, so she was surprised when she saw a few young men, about Damon's age, walking around in the corridors of the mansion. One of them stopped dead in his tracks when he caught a glimpse of her.

"Guys! Look what we have here!" Tyler called out in amusement, eyeing Elena from head to toe. He entered her room, and Elena's eyes widened as she backed up against the wall.

"Where has Damon been hiding you?" He cooed, reaching out to touch a curly strand of her hair.

"Leave her alone, Tyler. She's the slave," Matt said.

"Certainly. I can tell she's pure human. She smells fucking delicious," Stefan smirked. "Why should we leave her alone, Matty? We can bring her to Damon's room-to play with us." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and snatched Elena from Tyler's grip, marching her back to Damon's bedroom as Elena struggled.

The three men circled her like predators stalking their prey. Even Matt decided to join.

"What's going on here?" Damon asked, startled when he saw Elena shivering in fright, and his friends caressing her hair and rubbing her arms.

"You did tell us that you own a slave, but you never said that she's this fucking hot," Stefan said, a sly smile forming on his lips, "Where have you been hiding her?"

Damon set everything on the small table and sat down. "Let's continue playing, guys. Elena has work to do."

"Oh, come on, Damon," Stefan smirked as he cupped Elena's cheek. "We can play with her right here. It'll be fun…you know, we'll toss her around. Better than any other game we've played."

As he was saying those things, her top fell open with the help of his fingers. Elena choked back a sob, pleading with Damon with her eyes, as Matt stroked her temple.

"Aw, poor little baby's crying," Matt smirked, licking her cheek suggestively. Tyler came in front of her and rubbed his lower body against hers, all while Stefan inched her bra strap down.

Damon couldn't believe what was happening. Elena was surrounded by three men, who were doing to her whatever they pleased. He saw Stefan kneading her breasts roughly, Matt kissing and licking her, and Tyler still rubbing against her. Damon still did not intervene. He couldn't risk being alone again. He needed to feel accepted within the vampire society.

"Come join us, Damon," Stefan called out to him. "She feels so good."

"Don't tell me you've never tasted her!" Matt exclaimed as his tongue lapped Elena's cheek, mainly licking her tears. "She tastes so good."

"Why don't we inch her pants down?" Tyler smirked, shoving her pyjama pants down in an instant, with her panties nearly down with them. Elena screamed, her hands rushing to pull back her underwear to cover her rear.

"Please," She begged, unaware of what was going on. What did they want from her body?

Tyler merely laughed as his hands savagely spread her thighs apart. Elena locked her eyes with Damon's when Matt and Stefan continued to kiss each side of her neck. If she was going to suffer, she wanted him to watch what was being done to her and feel guilty about it. But then, she quickly changed her mind. This wasn't the Damon she knew seven years ago. This Damon didn't care and didn't feel remorse.

Damon's eyes locked with his friends', who were clearly enjoying her. Tyler motioned for him to join them.

"You're her master," Tyler breathed in his ear as he guided Damon's hand to Elena's inner thigh. "She's all yours."

Damon was unable to think. His lower body was certainly thinking on its own and he felt jealous of his friends tasting her. He was hard, he wanted to claim her, and for a moment Damon let his finger brush her inner thigh and slightly graze her feminine region. But Elena's choked sob brought him back to reality. He retracted his hand as if he had scalded it.

_Oh my dear God, _he gasped. _What have I done? _

He looked at Elena, whose face was red with tears, her clothes in tatters, and who was shaking in fright. She was immobile like a doll, her arms trying to cover her body, and realization hit him.

The governor's son couldn't do it.

"Elena, go to your room," He ordered her in a stern voice, but Elena barely had the strength to walk. She was paralyzed with fear, and it took her a good minute to be able to even lift a leg off the ground.

"We were having fun!" Stefan complained.

"I already told you," Damon said possessively. "The girl's mine, and mine alone."

* * *

Elena cried in bed for the majority of the night. Since her pyjamas had no chance of being saved, she had to wear a thin vest top for bed, and it was cold. She heard the door swing open and she jumped in fright. It was him. Damon.

"Elena…" He said, taking a few steps towards her.

"Please, master," Elena begged him. "Don't hurt me any longer."

"I'm not going to," Damon said in a quiet voice. "I just came here to give you this."

He handed her a satin blue pyjama.

"I'm only allowed to have one. You know that."

"The other's in tatters. I'll throw it away."

"Okay." Elena nodded, wiping away the few more tears that ran down her cheek.

When she looked again, Damon had already disappeared. The frail girl sobbed harder in that moment, never hearing the "I'm sorry" that escaped his lips as he had walked out the door.


	16. Chapter 16

**Huge thanks to my beta ThroughMySoul44 for editing this chapter super fast!**

**The following chapter is M rated. Please do not read if you have a problem with physical or moderate sexual abuse.**

**Thank you for your support!**

* * *

Damon felt disgusted with himself. He ran back to his bedroom but felt no signs of sleep or tiredness. Instead, he felt completely restless. The image of Elena being abused by his friends was hard to erase. The disgust he felt as his heart began to race at the thought of being turned on by that, at the realization that he was jealous of his friends touching her, felt unbearable. But then again, his penis was thinking on its own. He had wanted her—badly.

_Oh God_, he said. What was he saying?

_She is innocent_, he growled at himself. _She is just a sixteen year old girl. She has absolutely no idea of sex or the lust around her. How could I say that? How could I stand by and let them abuse her? Even worse, why would I feel jealous of my friends doing something that terrible to her? Why would I even join, even if it was just a slight touch…_

_She's innocent. A virgin._

But so was he.

He had needs. Elena was beautiful, and she would never willingly give herself to him, not after everything he had put her through. Sure, he could easily have any other girl, but somehow whenever he thought of sex, Elena's face came into his mind. He didn't want to rape her or force her to come to him, but at the same time the idea of mutual willingness between a master and a slave was foreign, which was why he had felt so jealous when he saw his friends touching her—because they didn't care. They would've taken her right there and then if it wasn't for him. But he couldn't. He couldn't rape her, because inside of him, there was still a kind, human part. All of his friends were vampires—pure vampires. He wasn't. He had morals.

Odd, bent, and broken morals, but still morals. He still had them.

He wondered if life would be easier if he transformed. Maybe that way he'd take her without remorse. He was still technically her master, even though Giuseppe had often referred to her as his, since his father was the one who paid for her. But nonetheless, she had been a gift for his twelfth birthday. And, according to Giuseppe, one should use his gift appropriately and to its full use.

But Giuseppe would forget that Elena wasn't a toy. She wasn't an inanimate object. Elena could feel just like he could. She wasn't even supposed to be a gift.

He used to adore her. He remembered the times they had spent together as children and he indeed missed those times. She used to smile and laugh when she was around him. He used to steal chocolate for her, the ones with the pink wrapper. He had even given her a doll once, sacrificing the idea of purchasing a new game so that he could buy it for her.

Those were the times, Damon admitted to himself, even allowing himself to smile.

But then, his smile faded when he remembered the night of his mother's death. She knew that her father went there to kill them and she allowed him to do so. She didn't even let him know. She could've warned him and he could've saved his mother, but she had sided with the humans. And now, she was being treated as a human—as an enemy. Maybe she deserved it, after all. Maybe she deserved to be called a gift, because when she was not treated as one she betrayed him. Maybe that's what humans preferred, to be treated as trash.

He had never felt so confused in his entire life. Sighing, he turned off the light and crawled into the bed, hoping that things would return to normal the next morning.

* * *

It was a Saturday and he felt grateful. That way, he could read through the contract so that he would officially start his training as governor. He knew that it was a long road ahead, and he had to make the right decision. As they had stated, there was no turning back once he had signed. He couldn't ever leave in the middle of the training. If he did accept to be trained, then he was automatically accepting his position as a governor, even if, in the end, he realized that maybe the road of a governor wasn't for him at all.

He had hoped that he could decide after the training had finished, because he feared that if he did find the training too intense or boring, then the role would definitely not the type of role he'd want. But, apparently, the town's finances were too tight and they couldn't waste a lot of resources on training men if they were not one hundred percent dedicated and ready to take the job after the training had finished. Because of this, Damon was stuck, but he still did not have much choice. His father would kill him if he didn't take on the governor route. After his mother's death, Giuseppe had insisted that Damon should grow up and accept his responsibilities. His father no longer hurt him, so in that sense, they had grown closer—but only due to his role in society. In fact, all that he and his father talked about was work. Damon still suffered from the lack of parent-child communication.

He didn't even notice that Elena was swinging her wrist in front of him until he heard her small voice whimper out his name.

"What?" He asked her slowly. "What are you doing?"

"Master Salvatore's orders," Elena said as she rolled up her sleeve.

Damon blinked several times, before finally understanding. "I don't want your blood."

"Master Salvatore has ordered me to give you my blood," She said robotically. "I have to obey him."

Without warning, Elena took the knife from the table and made a deep laceration in her wrist, her hand violently trembling. A muffled whimper escaped her as she drew the blade along her flesh. She knew that if she did not obey, the pain Giuseppe would inflict on her would be worse than the cut.

Damon took her wrist in his hands, trying to be gentle, but she subconsciously winced anyway.

"Please, just make it quick," She begged him as the blood began to rush down her palms and onto the floor.

Hesitantly at first, Damon guided her wrist up to his lips until it was so close that he could smell the metallic of her blood. He forced himself to close his eyes before slowly latching his teeth onto the wound and sucking just slightly until his mouth filled with the warm liquid and his tongue instinctively lapped around the leaking cut. The taste of blood was still rusty, but it did quench his thirst. He knew that his body was pushing him to make the change and transform.

He let her wrist drop and Elena held a napkin to the wound to try and stop the blood flow. Then, she turned on her heels to clear the table so that she could serve breakfast.

"Elena…" He asked her hesitantly, "Are you okay?"

She didn't reply. Instead, she just shrugged and served him a plate of the usual bacon, eggs, and toast for Damon, and a heated blood bag for Giuseppe.

No more than five minutes later, the Governor appeared in the kitchen and threw himself onto the chair, in front of Damon.

"Good morning," He told him, sipping from the blood bag instantly.

"Morning, dad," Damon bit into the bacon and chewed hastily while his father studied him.

"Did you read the contract?"

"No. I was planning to read it today."

"Good," Giuseppe said. "I take it that you will be signing, right?"

Damon bit his lip. "I don't know yet. That's why I need to read the contract."

"You know you do not have a choice," Giuseppe hissed. "Do you want another family to govern? You have to keep the Salvatore name going. We should always be the ones to govern."

Damon didn't reply.

"And stop eating that crap," Giuseppe snarled when he saw Damon putting the eggs on his toast, "Just make the change already. I don't know why you haven't felt the signs yet—Your body should be ready by now."

Damon bowed his head down. He had never told Giuseppe that his body had been 'ready' to transform into a vampire for at least seven years, since the day that Elena had bled in front of him while they were playing.

"Surround yourself with human blood, then maybe your body will get the fucking hint," He snarled. "And I hope you transform immediately after your body is ready. It was a shame seeing you take forever to bite into Elena's skin yesterday during dinner. Fangs would've made everything much easier. How else would you become a governor if you haven't even transformed yet? If your body is not able to bear the change after the training finishes, then you'll have to go to the hospital and let them start the vampire process for you. Your teeth and your organs have to be ready. This isn't a fucking movie—you can't just have teeth one day and fangs the next. These things take time."

Damon simply nodded.

"Did she offer you her wrist?" He pointed at Elena.

"Yes," Damon said.

"Was it hard to bite into her skin?"

"It is, a little," He said, and he wasn't lying. Even though his teeth had been sharper since that day when they were children, it was still difficult to bite hard enough to draw blood out.

Giuseppe sighed. "We'll wait until the training finishes. Then, I'll pay for your surgery."

"If I do accept to go in training…" Damon whispered, but Giuseppe heard him.

"You have no choice," He barked. "You have to."

"Dad, I…"

"No, Damon. I won't let you," Giuseppe shook his head furiously. "You have to. Even if it is the last thing you ever do—you will become governor. You have to toughen up. You know what the guests said yesterday after dinner?" He snarled. "They think you're too weak. They saw you with Elena when you were biting her. You looked guilty. I don't want them to think that my son is weak, do you understand?"

"Yes, dad…" Damon said slowly.

"If Elena continues to be a nuisance, I'll get rid of her," He threatened. "Always remember that…"

"You bought her for me to help me recognise my vampire duties," Damon finished off for him automatically. He had been hearing this same sermon for the past seven years.

Giuseppe didn't look too pleased. "You know that line by heart, Damon, but I don't see any improvements. You always treated Elena as an equal."

Damon looked at the young girl who was busy drying the dishes.

"I haven't had a conversation with her during the last seven years."

"That's not enough. Not communicating with her is not degrading her." Giuseppe shook his head. "You have to start learning how to be a true master."

Damon looked at his father in confusion, waiting for him to elaborate.

"I'll show you how," Giuseppe said, casually rising from his chair. He called Elena's name, and she dutifully hurried towards her master. Giuseppe put his hands on Elena's shoulder.

"She is yours, Damon," Giuseppe taunted him. "You're not making use of her to the very fullest." He stroked Elena's arms and she shuddered.

"Stop," Damon shook his head. "I don't want to…"

"Relax, I wasn't going to suggest that," Giuseppe smirked, "But look at her, Damon. Look at her neck. Don't you think it is time for you to feed on her properly, like a vampire would?"

He pushed Elena's hair to one side and placed his fingers on her throbbing pulse, before sinking his fangs inside her neck just enough to create two small pierce marks for the blood to ooze from. "You can have her, Damon. In every way possible. No one would stop you," He promised him. "Just let go of your fucking humanity and focus on the blood rushing through her veins. Focus on the strength blood gives you and how thirsty you are before drinking. Focus on her warmth…"

Damon kept shaking his head, but he knew that his control was slipping.

"Think about how it would feel to have her, Damon. To have her under you. To touch her," He added, softly kneading her breasts. "Don't you crave her? Don't you feel your blood boiling, your gums aching? That's your vampirism, Damon…screaming to get out."

Damon's breathing became uneven. His fangs, which had been inactive for at least seven years, began to ache again, a sign that he was more than ready to devour Elena and become a vampire. In those seven years, he had felt signs and pains, but he had never felt such an ache before—the ache of vampirism.

Unconsciously, his tongue ran over his fangs over and over, his mouth becoming dry with sudden thirst. His eyes darkened and his body hardened, all good qualities forgotten as he became filled with desire and bloodlust.

"You can have her…" Giuseppe's words pounded in his head over and over, like a curse. His hands became sweaty but Giuseppe grabbed them and thrust them forward until they slammed against Elena's breasts as she let out a sharp cry. Damon was lost…lost in a complete euphoria. His hands started to roughly squeeze her breasts, his fingers digging into her skin. His lips found their way to Elena's neck and he knocked himself into her, pressing her against the wall as Giuseppe cheered him on. Elena screamed when she suddenly saw Damon's face transforming into that of a demon, seeming completely out of it as he pinned her arms beside her head and ravaged her mouth. His hands ripped her dress instantly, leaving her in her bra and underwear.

"Good boy," Giuseppe clapped firmly. "Now's the time, Damon. Your face is changing. Your gums are aching…follow the sound of my voice. Don't lose focus. The aim is not to kill the girl. I want you to sink your fangs into her smooth flesh when I tell you to…I'm here to guide you," He put a hand on Damon's shoulder but Damon wasn't paying attention. He was lost, his mouth attacking Elena's, his tongue fighting for entrance, his hands groping her. "Good boy, Damon. Now bite her, hard. Don't let go of her…Focus on the vampire inside of you."

But then, suddenly, one of Elena's tears fell just above Damon's lips. A single, warm tear that pulled Damon out of his trance. He blinked several times, and when he opened them, he was shocked by what he saw. Elena was in front of him, her face marked with tears. Her hands were held tightly at an odd angle above her head, her dress pooling at her feet, her lips swollen. His fangs had emerged so much that they were slicing his own lips.

"Oh my God," Damon backed away from the fragile girl slowly and she sunk to her knees, holding her arms close to her as she let out a long cry that broke Damon's heart. She hugged herself tighter and sobbed, trying to cover herself.

Damon turned to Giuseppe, anger rising inside of him. "What did you make me do?" He growled, speeding towards his father and pinning him to the closest wall.

"What you should've done long ago!" Giuseppe screamed, "Your body is ready to embrace vampirism! You have me to thank for that!"

Damon slammed Giuseppe to the wall again but he merely laughed.

"See? That's the Damon I want to see. Good, you're angry—Now finish her off! Suck her blood until it satisfies you! Remember what she did to your mother!"

"Stop! Just stop…please!" Damon suddenly roared, throwing him away from him, a cry of anger and pain leaving his lips. "Stop taunting me!"

"You're weak! I thought that by bringing her here you'd turn into a vampire but I can see now that I'm wrong," Giuseppe said, as if he were disappointed. "You want war, Damon? I'll give you a war. If you do not feed on Elena, I will suck her dry right in front of you, then I will heal her and sell her on the slave market as a prostitute, and you will get to watch as others devour her. You say that she does not have a hold on you anymore but guess what, Damon? You're still under her spell, just like when you were children! You are still that weak son of a bitch…you're still her little lost puppy even after she has killed your mother!"

"W-What?" Elena suddenly gasped. "W-What are y-you t-talking about?" She stammered in between sobs. What was going on? What was he saying? Was that the reason why Damon hated her during the past few years? However, before she could say anything else, Giuseppe kicked her stomach, causing blood to spew from her lips.

Damon hid his face inside his arms, his head pounding. He didn't know what happened to him. He had never felt such desire, such need for blood. But he couldn't transform…he couldn't. Elena had snapped him out of it before he could do such a terrible mistake, but still, the feelings and confusion inside of him was scaring him. His fangs only started to elongate even more, his senses heightened, and there was a tsunami of emotions washing over him. Pain filled his head, his gums and his entire limbs.

"What have you done to me?" He begged his father.

"I just pushed you in the right direction," Giuseppe smirked. "Everything else…you did to yourself." He spoke slowly and put his hands on Damon's shoulder.

"Now you know what you really are. An animal. A vampire."

He tapped Damon lightly on the shoulder and left the room, a sick smile still plastered on his face.

* * *

**As you can see, Damon is in a pretty dark place right now. **

***In my story, people have to actually "be ready" to become vampires (their bodies need to be able to bear the half human to vampire change) Damon has been ready for quite a while, but he never admitted it to his father, knowing that his father would probably force him to go through with the change if he had known that Damon was indeed ready. **

***In this chapter, Giuseppe forced Damon to be around Elena's blood and get close to her sexually, while getting him to start fantasising about her blood. Damon, who, right now is confused (He is still a teenager with sexual needs, in fact, his needs are heightened as he has a vampire part inside of him) and he is stuck between his obvious lust for Elena. **

***Damon knows that the only way to have her is by force, as it is uncommon for a slave to go to bed with her master when she is willing. Even though Damon doesn't want to hurt Elena in that way, (his only abuse towards her has been verbal throughout these 7 years) Giuseppe is proving to the reader that he CAN make Damon act against his better judgement, because Giuseppe knows what to say and how to act to get Damon to do what he wanted. Giuseppe is using Damon's weaknesses (Lust and Damon's inner vampire).**

**Next chapter will be more about Elena, what her life is like and the rules that she, as a slave, is expected to follow in society.**

**Please Review.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Huge thanks to my friend Ren for editing this one :D Love you girl!**

**I hope you enjoy xx**

* * *

Time seemed to stop. The only thing that Damon could hear was Elena's racing heartbeat. He turned to face her and found that she was still on the floor, kneeling.

He inhaled and exhaled repetitively, until he was sure that there were no signs of bloodlust, or any kind of lust for that matter, left before he crouched down in front of her, offering her his hand. She didn't look up, in fact she just continued to look downwards, both of her arms crossed over her chest.

"Come on," He urged her, trying to pull her upwards, but she just snatched her arm out of his grasp to cover herself again. He noticed the tears that streamed down her cheeks, silent tears. She didn't sniffle or sob, her eyes didn't even close—she just looked blankly downwards as if she was sleeping with her eyes open and let tears roll down her cheek. It was a scene that made Damon cringe.

"Stop it, Elena," Damon said a bit harshly, knowing that it was much easier to be angry than to be sad. "Stand up."

He pulled her arm again, but she didn't move an inch. He sighed irritably. "You want to stay there on the floor? Fine."

He turned on his heels, but was interrupted by her small voice.

"I want to die."

At that, his head spun around, shock taking over him. She sounded so resigned, so determined. It came crashing in then—the reality of what he had done to her, what his father had done. They had broken her and he was as guilty as his father was. He opened his mouth to speak but he had no idea of what to say so he snapped it shut again.

Elena rubbed her cold body with her arms, finally mustering up the courage to look at Damon. She hated herself for returning to Mystic Falls. She should've listened to her father and stayed behind. She should've listened to him when he told her that vampires were monsters. And because of her stubbornness, she had been suffering for the past seven years. Seven years filled with physical and verbal abuse; hard work and humiliation. Seven years of having to endure Giuseppe's harsh blows of his leather belt; of being isolated from everyone, of being treated like an animal.

Shortly after she was re-captured, Damon had fallen into a deep depression. He had blamed her father for what happened to Camilla, and even though Elena found it hard to believe that her father could do something like that, she knew that Damon wasn't in his right state of mind. What she never understood, however, was why he hated her. Even if her father did kill his mother, she hadn't been with him when it happened. Damon had seen her, he knew that she was locked in that van at the time of the incident.

He seemed to have forgotten that, like him, she had also lost her father and her family. She didn't have the chance to see Jeremy again, or to see her grandfather. She didn't even know what Giuseppe had done to him and her uncle Tom after Camilla was killed. She wasn't even sure she wanted to know. All she knew was that that very same night, Giuseppe had locked her in the basement and beaten her senseless for escaping.

She had realised that that was just the beginning of her nightmare. With Camilla gone and Damon in a trauma, the household was in Giuseppe's complete control. Soon after the incident, he had ordered that the town should be safeguarded by a barrier spell, one that kept the humans out. No human from the outside could enter the town and no human slave could go out. It had cost the vampires millions of dollars and it hadn't been an easy task, but they had found some witches to help them. Then, Giuseppe had thrown a street celebration, a "celebration" in which vampires were asked to bring human slaves into the town square. The poor humans were then publicly humiliated and beaten, and Giuseppe had forced Elena to watch the entire thing. The first few months after Camilla's deaths had indeed been the worst.

Things in the household also changed. Elena was forced to take care of the two men, doing all the household chores and being subjected to cruel and inhumane punishments whenever she messed something up. She worked hard and slept only a few hours each night. Then, when she turned fourteen, Giuseppe had walked into her bedroom, which he had only allowed her to keep because he needed the basement, and forced her to go with him to downtown.

_"Get up!" He roared, and Elena jumped off the bed in fright. _

_"Put your slave dress on and come down to the kitchen in five minutes!" _

_Elena nodded her head obediently, fear taking over her as she was left alone. She put the dress on and hurried downstairs, her eyes downcast and her hands crossed on her stomach submissively. _

_"Come here!" Giuseppe snapped his fingers and Elena walked slowly towards him. When she reached him, she stood there, immobile in front of him. _

_He grabbed a heavy, long chain and tied it around her waist so tightly that it dug into her abdomen. He held the other end in his arms and walked hastily, forcing Elena to stumble after him, whimpering at the pressure on her waist. _

_They had walked for quite some time, and Elena knew that he was doing it to make her suffer as they could've easily driven there. He then headed towards a shop, yanking Elena behind him. _

_"Mister Salvatore!" The shopkeeper greeted. "What brings you here?"_

_"I brought my slave. She needs to be taught basic slave duties, now that she's a young woman."_

_"Of course," The shopkeeper said, looking at Elena. "I think that you also require clothes for the slave and other necessary items?"_

_"Yes, and I need her branded," Giuseppe said to the woman, handing her some cash. "I'll pick her up in a few hours."_

_"Yes, of course," The woman responded, then turned to Elena and barked, "Come with me."_

_Elena dutifully obeyed as the woman grabbed the chain and yanked her forwards to a walk-in wardrobe. _

_"You are no longer a child," The woman told her. "You will be expected to wear this slave dress when you are on duty. You have to be taught proper skills." She forced Elena's head downwards. "You must always bow down when you are talking to your master. Do not look into his eyes if he is disciplining you. Bow down and submit."_

_"Make sure that you always look appealing, especially when there are guests in the house…" The woman smirked, handing Elena another slave dress which closely resembled a French Maid Costume. "Oh, and bras-definitely." She put her hand on Elena's breasts. "You need to make them look full and big. Strip—I'll teach you how to put it on."_

_Elena panicked. She shook her head repetitively and crossed her arms over herself. The woman laughed. _

_"My sweet child, you are a slave. You definitely need to prepare yourself for what the masters will do to you. Trust me, there is no place for modesty. You better get used to being naked." _

* * *

_Days had passed and Elena had a hard time adjusting to the new rules that the woman had spoken to her about. She had told her that now that she was a young woman, she had to offer up her blood out of her own free will. She had explained the process, starting from how she was to approach her master and how to offer up her veins, which places she was to offer, and to whom. She had learnt that the only two people who had the right to drink from her were Damon and Giuseppe, but she had added that others could taste her as well if they had their permission. _

_As a young woman, she was also given a standardized outfit for when she went out, always accompanied by her master. She was to wear a chain or a collar when she was out, and she couldn't read or write. That was restricted, unless both her masters agreed otherwise. _

_She had to keep in mind that she had to obey her master at all times, especially in public. She was always to stay on his left side and she was to serve him during meals. She was also taught how to sit, speak, and act when she was around superiors. _

_What she didn't understand was when the woman mentioned that the masters owned her body. She had wanted to ask, but then another customer had walked in and Elena found herself chained to one of the columns, forced to wait for Giuseppe to pick her up. Apparently, that was the procedure whenever a slave was left alone. _

_Giuseppe had picked her up then and the woman had told Elena that her next visit would be when she turned sixteen, if she were still alive. Needless to say, Elena had fallen into despair trying to memorise everything the woman had taught her. Things only became harder._

Elena was pulled out of her daydream when she felt Damon's breath on her face. Realising the state she was in, she hugged herself tighter.

"Just let me die…" She whimpered again.

This time, Damon ran towards her. He took a deep breath and put a gentle hand on her shoulder, then hesitantly stroked her hair. She whimpered.

"Come on," He said, offering her his hand. "You can trust me. I'm not going to hurt you." He thought of his father. "Tonight," He quickly added. He didn't want to make promises he didn't intend to keep. His father had unleashed the demon inside him. In due time, he could be ripping Elena's head off.

The sentence doing nothing to ease her fear, Elena flinched but dutifully obeyed. She followed him to his bedroom and he instructed her to sit down on his bed.

"Raise your legs up a little bit," He told her lightly, and she did. He took off the cuff that was locked around her ankle and massaged the area. His gaze fell on the mark on her thigh.

GS.

"Where did you get that?" Damon asked her in confusion.

Elena looked at the mark in her skin. "You don't know?"

Damon stared blankly at her.

"Shortly after I turned fourteen your father took me to some kind of shop. She taught me how to be a good slave and marked my leg with a branding iron. It makes me Giuseppe Salvatore's slave."

Damon didn't know what to say. He couldn't imagine the pain Elena must've felt, but when he saw her shudder and saw a small tear escape her eye, he realised that she remembered that day clearly. But then, his demon side kicked in and he looked at the mark angrily. GS. Giuseppe Salvatore. Why didn't she have his initials? Why didn't she have DS marked on her skin? Wasn't she supposed to be a gift to him? His teeth gritted at the thought that he had never really owned Elena. Elena was still his father's, she was sold to him and Giuseppe had never passed the papers that confirmed the ownership to Damon. In the eyes of the law, Giuseppe was her owner and only he could make certain decisions. If he were to kill her, Damon didn't have the legal power to stop him.

He suddenly felt a strong sense of jealousy. He didn't want to share her with anyone. She was supposed to be his. The worst thing was that until he accepted his vampirism and treated her the way Giuseppe wanted him to treat her, Elena was still going to be his father's. He would never give her up, he knew that much. Not until he proved himself worthy at least.

He took a deep breath and opened his eyes, watching her fearful face. All signs of hate disappeared as he saw her covering herself, looking so inferior and little. He didn't have it in his heart to hurt her when she was already so broken.

"We need to get you cleaned up," He whispered at last, tugging a few pieces of hair behind her ear.

"No. I'm fine," She protested.

"Elena," He told her gently. "You can trust me. I'm not going to hurt you again."

"How can you say that? How can I trust you after doing this to me?" She cried. "I loved you, Damon. You were my friend and you betrayed me. You treated me like an animal for the past seven years and now you expect me to trust you? I can barely move because of you!"

Damon tried to reach out to her but she flinched away from him. "Please, just don't. I just want to have a shower and rest. If you want to help, just let me do those two things in peace."

Damon looked at her before nodding slightly. "I'll leave you some fresh clothes."

"Thank you…" She whispered.

"Elena?" He said, his own heart breaking.

"I really am sorry that it came down to this."

"Me too," Elena replied, a lump forming in her throat. "Me too."

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**Please review! Happy Christmas and New Year!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Would like to thank my beta and close friend Ren for her help on this chapter. I hope that you all had an amazing New Year!**

**On with the story, please Review!**

* * *

Elena emerged out of the shower and she found the clothes that Damon had promised her. They smelled nice and felt oddly soft, even more colourful compared to what she wore daily.

She hugged herself and stepped out from the ensuite, stopping in front of Damon's bed. He was laying there, looking at the roof. When he took notice of her, he straightened.

"I see the clothes fit fine."

Elena nodded her head, but chewed on her lip. "Your father won't be pleased. He doesn't like it when I don't wear my slave dress."

"You're my slave too, Elena, I should get a say in what you wear," He stated possessively, and Elena flinched at that. He didn't have to remind her who she was in that household.

Damon, on the other hand, was still feeling pissed over the fact that the name branded on Elena's skin was his father's. When he was younger, he felt satisfied that he had Elena, but now that he had grown up, he was beginning to question whose slave Elena really was. It became clear to him that she seemed more obedient towards _the _older Salvatore, but when his mind cleared, he realised that it wasn't her fault. Giuseppe beat the hell out of her, it was obvious that she was more afraid of his father than she was of him. It wasn't that he wanted her to be scared, it was more like trying to get her to understand that he was authority too—that he too was her owner. _That his father didn't control everything._

He looked at her and saw the hurt written on her face. His voice and features softened. "And therefore, I say that you should wear comfortable and new clothes today."

A hint of a smile appeared on her lips.

Damon took a few steps towards her and gently took hold of her hands, and then guided her to the stool in front of the mirror. He grabbed a hairbrush and began to pull a brush through her hair, brushing it softly and then smoothing it out with his fingers.

Semiconsciously, his lips found their way to her neck. He started to place soft kisses there, before moving them a bit upwards underneath her ear. Elena's breathing hitched as she looked at him in the mirror.

"Please," Elena begged, "Stop."

He withdrew quickly, as if he had been scalded. He was losing his control. His vampirism was pushing, screaming to get out. He could feel his gums aching—his fangs were more than ready to break free. He knew that if she wasn't going to leave, he was going to lose control of his actions.

"Go back to your room, Elena."

The girl nodded, looked down, and hurried out of the room. Before exiting, she turned to him. "I just want to know one thing."

He moved to face her.

"What am I to you? Is it really lost…the friendship we had? Am I really nothing to you?"

Damon didn't know what to say. He knew that she meant something to him, she must have, otherwise he wouldn't have felt the guilt he had when his father hurt her.

Elena just nodded. "That's what I thought."

* * *

Taking the contract in his hands, Damon scanned the first page. There were hundreds of rules and unbreakable vows, and Damon started to understand that his role as a governor was going to change him. It was all written in the contract: He had to be fully transformed into a vampire by the time that the training had finished.

That was it, then, Damon thought. He could kiss his humanity goodbye. By accepting the role, he'd be allowing the vampire-side of him to take over.

He was about to read the next section, when he realised that it was titled "Treatment of Humans". He knew that he wasn't going to find anything he liked, and so he skipped that part. He didn't want to read about how he should treat Elena.

The blue-eyed man took a pen in his hand and began to make short notes about his role as a governor. He wasn't even sure if he was ready for the responsibilities, even financial ones. He was going to have a town under his complete control, and the certain appearances he had to keep didn't seem appealing.

He wasn't even a vampire yet. He couldn't do it. But then again, he knew that he had no choice. His father would end up forcing him to. There were hundreds of vampires wanting power and the role, and he knew that his father would never leave him alone if he refused to become a vampire. He would disown him. After all, it was bound to happen sooner or later. He was a vampire, not a human.

But then again, he secretly liked the human part inside of him. He didn't want to give it up completely to vampirism. Most of all, he thought of his father. He didn't want to end up like him.

He took a deep breath and threw the pen across the table in anger. He felt trapped. He knew that he couldn't remain hanging forever: Even if he didn't endure the change now, he had to some time. He couldn't remain like this forever, not with the vampirism roaring to get out. Not with the fear that he'd rip Elena's throat out if he lost control.

His thoughts then ran back to his mother. She was a vampire, yet she was still the most humane person he had ever met. If she had managed to keep a balance between her humanity and vampirism even after she had transformed, why couldn't he? Maybe he could do it as well. Maybe he resembled his mother more than he resembled his father. He'd have to hide it from the rest of society, yes, but he could still treat Elena humanely behind closed doors.

There was a firm knock on the door and Damon jumped out of his trance. Composing himself, he got off the chair and unlocked the door. His father was standing there and he seemed calmer.

"I thought you left," Damon said tiredly as he sat back down on the chair. It was a weird feeling, having his father in his bedroom. His father never came into his room, he didn't usually spend a lot of time with Damon.

"I did. I went for a walk and thought long and hard about what we discussed." Giuseppe walked towards him and sat down on the bed, his hands resting on his knees.

"It's my decision, Dad."

"Yes, I know that," Giuseppe said, "But you're forgetting a very important part. You are a vampire, and you should start to act and feel like one. Make the change, Damon. Your meal is right there in the next room. It will be quick. If things get too bloody, I will stop you."

Damon wanted to scoff. Stop him? Giuseppe would gladly let Elena die.

"Believe it or not, Damon, I don't want Elena dead. I paid a lot of money for her, and I plan on using her until I get my money's worth."

"Elena's mine, Dad. That's what you told me."

"She is," Giuseppe agreed.

"Then I should be the one to decide. Why haven't you passed the papers over to me? Legally, she is yours."

"Does it make a difference? You can use her as much as you want to."

"Of course it does. I want the papers, Dad. I want to be the one controlling her legally. I have to be able to decide for her…legally. I have no say without the papers."

"You're not ready for the slave yet, Damon!" Giuseppe snapped. "You know how much money it cost our family to buy Elena and raise her? What if I give you the papers and you set her free? I bought her for you for a reason. She was supposed to teach you to respect your kind, and instead you pity her and treat her as if she's one of us. I heard you, Damon. You gave her fresh clothing. The slave should be getting punishments from you!"

Damon narrowed his eyes and opened his mouth to speak, but Giuseppe interrupted. "Is this what you want people to think of you when you're the governor? That you are weak and that you pity humans? They killed your mother, Damon. They create weapons to hurt us and decapitate us."

"Then I am not taking the role." The words came out of his mouth before he could stop them.

Giuseppe's face turned red with anger. His teeth clenched tightly together and he screamed, "What?"

"If that is what is expected of me when I'm the governor, then I'm not taking the role," He said firmly. "And you can all go to hell. Tell your board I said that."

"I won't let the Von Swartzchilds take the role! We'll be serving under them. The Salvatores are not made to follow orders!"

Damon wanted to laugh at the hypocrisy. "I don't care. I'm taking Elena out of this house."

"You can't. I'll have you arrested for stealing my property," Giuseppe barked.

"I don't care. I'm not spending another minute in this house!" He roared, "I should be the one to decide how Elena's to be treated! I am not turning into a vampire. I'll restrain myself everyday for the rest of my life, and I will stop myself from hurting her. If you want a Salvatore governor, then do yourself a favour and impregnate one of your whores."

"I will not let you speak to me like that!"

"Then don't try to stop me."

At that, Giuseppe laughed. "My sweet boy. So innocent and kind. I'm the one in power here. If you so much as take another step towards Elena's room, I will call a friend of mine to help her get started up in a very nice business."

Damon's face seemed confused.

"I will pimp her out," He threatened. "Elena will make a good prostitute."

"You're lying. You won't do that," Damon said, even though he knew that his father would.

Giuseppe came forward and grabbed Damon by his neck. The latter gasped as he felt a kick in his gut and he fell to the floor, whimpering in pain.

"Elena!" Giuseppe roared. "Get down here, now!"

Within seconds, Elena ran down the stairs like she always did when he screamed her name out in anger. She walked in front of him, her head bowed and her voice shaky.

"I bet you don't even know that a human can be compelled, Damon," Giuseppe said with a sick smile.

Damon froze. He knew that, obviously, but he could assume that Elena wasn't going to like what was going to happen next.

Giuseppe walked casually in front of Elena and tilted her chin up so that she could look at him. He stroked her face gently and then leaned in to kiss her, much to Damon's disgust. Elena remained frozen as his tongue forced its way into her mouth.

The monster then leant in and put his mouth to Elena's ear. Damon couldn't make out what was happening, but he saw Elena's eyes widen in horror and tears stream down her cheeks. She started to walk towards the electric stove in the kitchen, robotically turning one of the burners on.

Damon tried to scream and stand up. "Elena, get back! Get away from there!"

"I can't!" Elena cried out as she placed her hands flat on the burner, screaming as her hands began to sizzle and turning into an alarming shade of red.

"I compelled her to put her hands on the burner, Damon. Now, you can either sign the contract and I'll save her, or you can stay there and watch as she catches fire. You cannot help her, even if you do stand up. She will only obey me—her legs are glued to the floor. So, what's it going to be Damon?"

"Please! Stop it, stop her!" Damon cried, his tears streaming fast down his cheek. He could hear Elena's screams and cries of agony.

"I will, if you accept your fucking nature!" Giuseppe spat, grabbing the contract. "Sign it! Accept your responsibility!"

"No!"

"Then I'm going to compel her to put her face on the burner!" He roared, flashing next to Elena.

"No!" Damon begged, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "I'll sign it."

"Damon…" Elena pleaded.

Giuseppe smiled and handed him the papers. With tears in his eyes, Damon wrote his name, a signature that sealed his fate. Giuseppe clapped sarcastically and compelled Elena again, before biting into his wrist.

"Take it!" Giuseppe ordered her, and Elena, who was slowly losing consciousness from the pain, drank the blood that sprayed out of his wrist, watching her hands heal quickly.

Damon was still writhing in pain, watching as Elena's cries calmed down and her hands returned to their normal colour.

"Now, feed on her," Giuseppe said, "It's time." He pushed Elena towards Damon's direction. "If you refuse to do so, I'll quickly make the call."

Damon was too traumatized to move. He knew that Elena's fate was in his possession. On the one hand, he knew that if he didn't manage to keep his humanity on when he turned to a vampire, Elena could end up being severely hurt. Yet, there could still be a chance that he'd keep his humanity even after his transformation, and then he could protect her. If he didn't do this, his father would pimp her out and do unimaginable things to her. He had to believe that he was making the right decision. He had to believe that he could be a vampire, a governor, and keep his humanity on all at the same time.

So he wrapped his hands around Elena's slim waist and dug his teeth into her neck, closing his eyes and calling on his vampirism to come out.


	19. Chapter 19

**Huge thanks to my beta and great friend Ren for editing this...like 4 times until I was sure of it! Thank you for being so loving and patient. Please support her stories (Throughmysoul44)**

**Chapter is M rated, the story is Rated M but there are harsh sexual elements in this chapter.**

* * *

Elena struggled against Damon's hard grip. He was sucking at her throat and a few droplets of blood erupted from her skin, after painful minutes of biting.

"Bite harder," Giuseppe roared, "Your human teeth are not strong enough! You need to bite harder!"

Damon growled against her, and Elena saw that he was already changing in front of her. Mentally, that was. He snapped his teeth against her harder until the blood poured out more freely, and then she heard him cry out in pain.

"Your fangs!" Giuseppe said in amazement, "They are coming out, Damon. They are breaking through your gums!" He was lost in a complete euphoria, and he started to clap maniacally. "Go on, Damon, hurry up!"

Damon grabbed Elena from around the waist, first drinking from the blood on her neck before turning his attention on her pulse once more. He sank his teeth into her flesh again, but this time, Elena screamed. His teeth were sharper…They were no longer human.

She saw the pain written on his features and his eyes turning red. All the softness and regret had disappeared, instead his face was twisted in a sadistic grin. He was drinking from her greedily, hungrily. He was enjoying it.

"Careful, Damon," Giuseppe said lightly, "Be careful not to kill her. I am not near done with Elena yet."

But Damon kept drinking and moaning.

"Stop!" Giuseppe hissed, pulling him away from her roughly, causing Elena to fall to the ground. "How do you feel?"

But all that came out of Damon's mouth was a sound resembling that of a roar. "I want more!"

"The first step is ready, my son. Your body is changing. Now, you just have to lie down for a while and allow nature to take its course. I will come back to your room in two hours. Make sure to rest, your body still has to adjust."

But Damon was looking _through_ his father. He wasn't looking _at _him, his gaze was still locked on Elena's neck.

"Go back to your room, Damon!" Giuseppe snarled, "You'll thank me later. You do not want to kill her, not when she has much more to offer you."

Damon narrowed his eyes a little, but allowed himself to calm down. Giuseppe smiled and waited for him to leave before turning to face the girl, who was crying on the floor.

"Ah, that's twice today," Giuseppe sighed, biting into his wrist and forcing it to the girl's mouth. He stroked her hair as she drank, whispering a 'good girl' in her ear.

"I think I deserve some gratitude now, don't I?" He chuckled to himself, pulling her off the floor with ease. "Go and change. Wear the white slave dress. Then come to my room."

Elena dutifully obeyed, the pain disappearing soon enough. He towered over her like he always did, because he was a tall man, and looked at her with his dark eyes as he stepped aside. She hurried into her bedroom and changed quickly, and then hurried back to the corridor.

"Get in," He ordered her, swinging his bedroom door open.

Shakily, she stumbled into the master bedroom. She hadn't been in there, not even as a child, and the room gave her unpleasant memories of her father's and Camilla's deaths. Everything remained the same, it was as if she were going back in time.

Giuseppe poured a glass of wine and raised it to his lips, sipping on it slowly as if in deep thought. Then, he sat on the bed and patted the spot beside him.

Elena's breath caught in her throat, but she hesitantly walked towards him. He didn't speak to her, he just played with the glass in his hands.

"I never understood Damon," He began to mutter in between sips, "I never understood why he didn't value the power and our family name. As a child, I yearned for it. I had to beg to become governor. Damon has this great opportunity on a silver platter and he treats it like it's nothing."

He turned to face her, finding her to be sitting stiffly. "Drink?"

Elena didn't have the chance to refuse, because he had already placed the glass against her lips. She drank slowly, gagging a bit at the bitterness, but found the rest of it to be quite enjoyable. Giuseppe picked up a lock of her hair and twirled it around his finger.

"How old are you again?"

Elena didn't know what to say. Was he really expecting her to answer? He knew how old she was.

"Sixteen," She finally said.

"Sixteen," Giuseppe repeated, resting his hand on Elena's bare thigh. "You have the body of a woman now, Elena. Do you know what that…" He moved his fingers to her inner thigh and brushed his finger against her underwear, "…does to a man?"

"Please, sir, I don't understand…" Elena whimpered, her eyes instantly filling with tears. He scared her when he spoke to her like that. She knew that it meant pain but she also knew that it meant confusion. She simply couldn't understand why he would touch her like that and why he would treat her body in such a disgusting and traumatizing way.

"Of course you don't," Giuseppe sighed, pouring another glass of wine. "Fold my clothes."

Elena let out a sigh of relief and slowly rose from the bed, walking towards the right side of the room. There was a writing desk there, and a chair with a pile of clothes scattered on it. It was just the same…It seemed like no time had passed. She could smell the strange scent of the furniture, of oak, and it wasn't unpleasant. She did cringe however, when her eyes landed on the ceiling fan. Images of her strangled father entered her mind and she fought tears. The girl never had the chance to grieve, because as soon as Camilla and her father were dead she found herself in a new trauma; having to face the older Salvatore's wrath alone.

She picked up one of the shirts, turning her back on Giuseppe who was laying on the bed casually, still sipping his wine. He hadn't taken his eyes off her but she tried to ignore him, being as hasty as possible. Just as she was folding, however, she felt a pair of arms yanking her back. He was holding her against him now, her back pressed against his hard chest. One of his arms was holding her waist, anchoring her tightly to him, and the other was stroking her other arm.

"You are so beautiful," He said to her, and she could smell the wine on his breath. He ran his nose down the column of her throat, nuzzling her gently and placing open mouthed kisses on the side of her neck. She froze in his grip, chirping a small cry.

"And that is what pisses me off," Giuseppe growled in her ear, biting down on it savagely. His tone was no longer soft. "That's what pisses me off…the fact that the only woman I find to be truly attractive is human. Do you understand, Elena? That's why I always want to hurt you…You remind me of my weakness…my lust for you."

"Please, don't hurt me, not tonight," She begged him. She had already been through such agonous strife. Even though her hands were fully healed, the trauma she had been through left its impact on her psychological health. He moved the hand on her waist upwards slowly, on her thin white dress. She hated that slave dress more than she hated the other one-it was too thin. She could feel his hands as if they were caressing her own skin.

He must have used his vampire speed because she didn't notice that his hand had moved so fast until she felt a cruel grasp on her right breast. Growling, he pushed her sleeves down until they were not hidden from his evil eyes any longer, and Elena choked back a sob. What surprised her, though, was that he then let go of her. She didn't dare to look back but she felt him behind her, circling her like a predator stalking its prey.

Her dress was now crunched beneath her breasts, covering from her waist down while leaving her topless. Minutes passed and nothing happened, he just stood there and studied her, drinking in her nakedness. It was when Elena decided to cross her arms over her chest to cover herself that he let out a harsh growl, slapped her hands down to her sides, and went back behind her.

"What am I going to do with you?" He asked her in her ear, pressing her back to his front, "Should I kill you? Should I use you like your family used me?"

He placed her head on his shoulder and ran his finger down her cleavage before cupping her breast again, this time kneading it harshly. He moaned at the feel of her and Elena let a few tears stream down her cheek. He kissed her neck again, once, and then he set her back on the bed and knelt down in front of her, hiking her dress upwards.

"Please," She said, panicked, "What are you doing?"

"Shhh…I need you to be quiet," Giuseppe started to draw circles on her inner thighs. "No one can ever know about this."

Elena sobbed wildly, shaking her head repetitively and begging for him to stop.

Then with the rattling of a leather belt between his fingers, she screamed with so much vigor that the pounding thunder outside could no longer compete.

* * *

Elena remained still on the bed, too traumatized and hurt to move. The tears had dried as she laid on her back facing the ceiling, her chest rising and falling with every pained breath she took. Giuseppe emerged from the ensuite bathroom, wiping his hands with a towel.

"You can get up now," He said, his voice dismissive.

Elena tried to move, she really did, but her legs were shaking so badly that she found it hard to sit up, let alone stand. Everything was just one big ache.

"Hurry up!" He growled angrily, throwing a pile of clothes at her, "I don't have all day. Take a shower and go clean the sitting room."

Afraid of the tone of his voice, Elena rose from the bed and headed straight towards the bedroom, despair settling in her features.

* * *

She was naked now, in front of the mirror. Her arms were covering her breasts as she took in her appearance. Her body was now a stranger to her, something that was foreign. Like some forbidden territory.

She got under the shower and let the icy droplets fall on her skin. She was scrubbing her body so hard that her skin was turning red. She ran the washcloth over her skin, but began to cry when it hit her sore parts. Memories of what he had done to her came flashing back and her soft sobs turned hysterical.

_His hips sawed against hers like a slab of cement scraping the flesh over her bones. The fabric of the dress was bunched around the slight inward curve of her waist. Her hair was a mess around her head, clinging to the pillow from static. The lips of her mouth vented each desperate breath, the only thing she had left in her control._

Why? She asked herself over and over as she wiped some blood off her thighs. She flinched, eyes wide as she remembered his finger touching her most intimate area…

_There was Pain like she had never felt before as he thrust it in and out of her in a monstrous speed. She could still see the look on his face—a satisfied look. Even when she screamed and cried in pain, he just smiled in satisfaction. Her owner even kissed her, and she could still taste him. _

At that, she washed her mouth with soap. She didn't even care that it was sickening to do so, it was way better than his saliva and wine mixed altogether.

Her breasts were sore and painful, and alarmingly red. She could still feel his hands there—that harsh grip that had made her scream and beg so loudly. It never stopped him, though.

_The flesh mounds were used as his handles, his balance. She felt every haggard grunt tickle the hairs along her chest, every moan he had uttered. At one point he licked her tears and whispered cruel things in her ear. He called her the Devil's child and cursed humanity. He said that her family were soulless monsters and that she deserved everything that was happening to her. _

_Why_? She asked herself over and over. Why did he hate her family so much? Why was he choosing this method to torture her, weren't the whips of his belt enough? They had been for the past few years, she didn't know why it changed now. And what he said—about her having the "body of a woman", what exactly did he mean by that?

_The warmth of the blood between her legs had soothed her, it had also served as a barrier between her and that liquid that had been pumped out of Giuseppe at one point. She allowed herself to concentrate on the heat of the liquid. It had acted as the sparse lubrication when he began to move in and out. With her eyes pinched, she scraped her nails into the sheets, giving up her fight when her muscles would no longer listen to her. The rape had taken more than just her innocence; it took her will too. _

Her mind rushed back to Damon. He was probably in pain right now, alone. Maybe even afraid. But he was going to turn soon enough.

He was willing to free her. Hell, he drank from her to save her life. He cared.

Well, none of that mattered.

Not anymore.

* * *

Damon laid on the bed, his face twisting in unbearable pain. His eyes were burning, and his jaw seemed to be slowly breaking. He looked in the mirror and saw them, black veins forming on both sides of his face.

A wave of pain hit his legs and arms, so much that he couldn't even stand up to drink a glass of water. His throat was burning, his head was killing him, and when he did get to the glass, Damon broke it in half with surreal strength.

He stared at the water and the pieces of shattered glass and remained immobile. The boy realised then that his transformation was about to be complete.

His muscles were stronger, his eyes were red, and he was thirsty.

And he wasn't thirsty for water.

It was blood he needed.

* * *

**Giuseppe has raped Elena and he's taken her virginity, all while Damon has completed his transition. Things will be changing from now on, and we shall see where it leads us**

**Thanks for reading**


	20. Chapter 20

**Would like to thank all my reviewers for their love, patience and support.**

**Please support my beta ThroughMySoul44, she always corrects my work and offers tips for me to improve. Thank you, Ren! xxx**

**On with the chapter. Enjoy.**

* * *

His jaw was aching and his mouth was dry. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt so thirsty. Sweat was beginning to cool against his forehead, but still, he felt as if he were on fire. His emotions were all over the place, and he felt frightened, angry, sad but at the same time…fulfilled. All he needed now was more blood.

He must've slipped out of consciousness, because when he looked at the alarm clock on the nightstand he realised that another two hours had passed since he last opened his eyes. His memories seemed to be blurred together, but he remembered breaking the chair next to him in a fit of rage and thirst.

Just then, the door opened slowly and his father walked in, a blood bag in his hands, a smirk on his lips. Damon had never seen Giuseppe Salvatore look so happy.

"How are you feeling, son?" He said, walking right up to Damon.

Damon blinked several times. "I feel better," He said at last. "But I have this great thirst inside of me…" His tone was calm, but suddenly he looked at Giuseppe with disbelief. "You…you did this to me."

"No, son. I just pushed you to make the right decision."

"You forced me into it! I didn't want this!"

"Damon, your emotions are all over the place right now. You have managed to kill the human inside of you and you brought out the real you. However, that human is still trying to resurrect. You have to let it go and let go of your anger and sadness. We can do without those human emotions, and I fear that if you let them take over you, your human side would win again." He settled the blood bag on the nightstand, and grabbed the water and orange juice packets roughly. "Time for a drink, a real drink," He said, throwing the other drinks away savagely. "You won't be needing those anymore."

Damon shook his head. "No."

"If you let your emotions take the best of you, you'd enslave the vampire again. And then, I have to hurt Elena."

"Why? Why is it so important to you that I become like this?" He cried, veins appearing under his eyes as he caught a whiff of the sweet, warm blood.

"Because the vampire is you, Damon," Giuseppe said. "You were living a lie."

"That's not true. It's the vampire that emerges from the human. I know that. Vampires were all human before they turned."

At that, Giuseppe let out an animalistic growl. "Never say th at in my presence, Damon. Or it will be the last thing you'll say. Drink that bloo d. Y ou will let go of this nonsense soon enough."

Unwillingly, Damon reached out for the glass. Placing it firmly against his lips, he moaned. He had drunk blood before, but it never tasted as heavenly and filling as it tasted right then, at that very moment. Before he even realised it, he had drunk it all and was pleading with his father like a little puppy.

"You have to learn to control yourself," Giuseppe told Damon as he snatched the empty glass away from him, "A little everyday to make sure that you are in control. I will let you explore your newly found vampiric traits, but you know that you have a very important contract to sign in the upcoming days."

"Dad, I…"

"None of this will matter once your emotions are off, Damon. You have to make the decision with a clear mind, with a vampire's mind and not a human one. I will leave you to adjust."

"Wait," Damon raised from the bed. "Emotions or not, I will sign the contract on one condition."

Giuseppe smirked, looking intrigued. "And what is that?"

"I want Elena for myself," He said, his voice clear and determined.

"You already have her, Damon."

"No," Damon interrupted, "I want Elena legally. I want everything…including the papers confirming the ownership as well as other rights I might have as an owner."

"It doesn't work like that," Giuseppe said after a few minutes, "I paid a lot of money for Elena. You have to prove yourself worthy of owning her."

"Being a governor is worthy enough. Besides, every governor needs a close human slave to assist him," Damon reasoned.

"I fear that Elena will be forever attached to your humanity. Prove to me that you can turn it off, that you can completely kill the human inside you, and I'll consider it. You're not in a position to negotiate, Damon. If you respect your mother as you say you do, you'll accept this position."

"I don't know what else you might possibly want from me! I have transformed. I have 'killed' my human self enough already. Why can't you just let me be happy and love me and accept me as your son?" Tears were streaming down Damon's cheeks—he couldn't control his emotions.

"Leave the house, Damon. I need you to go out and explore the nature you have been missing out on."

"I need b-blood," He stammered. "I'm thirsty."

"And you will get it, if you listen to me," Giuseppe said angrily, "But you need to control it. What I've given you is enough. You will get the rest when you return."

"You can't control me like this," He protested.

"Yes, I can. Do as I tell you, or Elena will pay the price."

"Don't hurt her."

"You see, son?" Giuseppe smirked, "That is exactly why I have to control you."

* * *

Elena couldn't walk. Whenever she attempted to, everywhere hurt. She was sore and even though she showered, she felt dirty in a way that she had never felt before. To make matters worse, Giuseppe had ordered her to clean the sitting room, and as she knelt to scrub the floor, tears of pain escaped her eyes.

She heard footsteps and she turned her head around. Her gaze met Damon's briefly, but even in that little second she realised that he had changed. She understood that his transition was complete. His eyes had no warmth in them; but they were not evil either. They were mainly confused, and after she looked closely at him she realised that the word she was looking for to describe Damon was pitiable. She saw him stare at her in horror and watching his face change, but before he could take another step towards her Giuseppe stepped in. She couldn't quite make out what they were saying and she soon heard the front door shutting soundly.

Giuseppe took a few steps towards Elena, and her heart started to beat fast against her chest. Her hands were shaking and her legs were wobbling, but she tried to focus on her work.

"He is refusing to let go of his humanity because of you, you know," Giuseppe started, sitting on the couch. "It always comes down to a human."

Elena didn't reply, she just kept cleaning and praying that what he had done to her a few hours before was a one time horrifying and devastating thing.

"My wife fell in love with a human, too," He said bitterly, walking to the enormous wall unit. He poured himself a glass of wine. "To make matters worse, it was the worst kind of human she could ever fall in love with ...her owner."

He sighed and drank his wine, but stopped immediately when he realised that maybe he was saying too much. "And you, _slave_," He said mockingly, "What's your story? I know that Grayson was your father…and I enjoyed killing him after what he did to Camilla."

"I never understood…" Elena muttered, "My father wasn't a monster."

"Tell me, then," Giuseppe encouraged, "Be a good girl and tell your master everything about your family, and I'll give you the day off tomorrow." He tapped his thighs and looked at her again. "Come here, sweetheart."

Unwillingly, Elena went over to him. He bit into his wrist and forced it against her mouth. Elena gagged and started to twist and turn around, surprised when suddenly the pain was gone.

"That's a little trick I learned," He smirked, and then pulled her hand harshly so that she landed on his lap. He brushed his lips against her ear. "Tell me."

"I have a b-brother," Elena told him. "He was six the last time I saw him. I never got to say hello, not even when I went back, because he was at school and then he went for a three-day football activity. I planned to surprise him when he came back home but then…"

"You _had_ to follow Grayson here," Giuseppe smirked, caressing Elena's bare thigh. "Because you're a stubborn creature. Tell me more, tell me about your father."

"He used to be the governor. He protected us from vampires."

"But he didn't protect you, did he?"

"I was captured. It was no one's fault…My father loved me like I was his."

At that, Giuseppe's head turned around in shock. He stopped caressing Elena and his expression grew hard and serious. "What?"

"My father remarried. I don't remember his first wife, but I remember my mom, Rosalie. She was pregnant with me before she met my father."

"H-How?" Giuseppe asked, startled.

"I was nine," Elena said, "I don't know what happened."

"And Grayson Gilbert is not your biological father?"

"He is a father to me. He was there for us all. He never lied to me. They told me the truth when I was eight. I don't even care about my biological father."

Giuseppe smirked, and Elena's blood ran cold. "How…How did you make me tell you all of that?"

"Compulsion, dear. You always forget that I can use it," He said, and then grabbed her face roughly. "You are going to forget that we talked about this, and you won't remember that I know that Grayson is not your biological father."

"I am going to forget…" She repeated, but Giuseppe was not paying attention. As it turned out, Damon wasn't Elena's half-brother, et he was going to pretend that they were. That way, he would get his revenge and break not only the son he was supposed to have, but also everyone who had wronged him.

As Elena finished repeating what he said, Giuseppe caressed her cheek softly, happy to be using the little, innocent human. She seemed to be in a trance, even when the compulsion finished, and he was satisfied by the way humans could be manipulated.

"Oh, Elena," He nearly moaned as he cupped her through her panties, opening her legs a little wider so that he could move his hand freely over her body.

"You just keep surprising me."

* * *

**Short, filler chapter but it was definitely needed as things will be changing, now that Damon is a vampire. **

**We have learnt that Damon and Elena are not half-siblings after all, as Grayson was not Elena's biological father. **

**Giuseppe is determined to have his revenge on Camilla by using her son. He knows that he has to "retire" and he wants to hurt Damon by forcing him to become the one thing he hates-Governor. You can also see that despite the fact that Damon has changed, he is still Giuseppe's victim. He does not have a mind of his own, he is weak and he listens to Giuseppe. This is not good as the latter has control over Damon. **

**On the other hand, Damon is clearly struggling. He has managed to "kill" his human self but not completely. He is still emotional, maybe even more than ever, as he has to learn the skill of shutting off his emotions as time goes by. It is a technique that I use for this story: Vampirism takes time, just like human life. People do not learn to walk and talk the moment they are born. **

**Thank you for reading!**

**Please Like my Facebook Page LiveBreatheVampires fanfiction as I might post stuff there in case of technical difficulties. :)**


	21. Chapter 21

**Would like to thank all my reviewers for their love and patience! **

**Please support my beta and very close friend ThroughMySoul44, she always corrects my work and offers tips for me to improve. Thank you, Ren! xxx**

**As I had said before, I have been going through a lot of things especially with school stuff. Thankfully, school finishes on the 27th of March, and I have one month to prepare for my A level exams, which will determine if I go to University or not. Then, I have another month of exams, so I will be free towards the end of May. I promise, I will make it up to you...but March and April are a bit stressful for me, and even though I plan to update a few times in April, regular updates will start once I am finished with school, exams etc (May)**

**On with the chapter. Enjoy.**

* * *

"Congratulations, man!" Matt patted Damon on the back later that day. They were currently at the Mystic Grill, the boys' usual hangout place, and it hadn't taken Damon's friends long to realise that Damon had successfully transformed into a vampire.

"Took you long enough to come to your senses," Tyler muttered as he took a long sip of his beer. His tone was criticizing but also teasing.

"Shut it, Ty," Matt said, "What matters is that he is one of us now."

Damon looked almost offended. "I thought I was always one of you."

"You want the truth, Damon?" Matt asked, but did not wait for an answer. "Being in the in-between stages of vampirism and humanity is the most shameful phase in a vampire's life. I know that your body had to be ready to bear the changes, but I have been wishing that you'd turn for years. Being a vampire and destroying the human completely is a feeling which I can never describe. The powers associated with being a vampire are thrilling. You will know what I'm saying once your humanity fades away. The more you experience your vampire side, the quicker the other will fade."

Damon did not say anything. His friend's words served to make him angrier. For all those years, his friends had thought of him as inferior simply because he hadn't transitioned. He wondered what they'd think if they knew that he had had the option of transforming ever since he was twelve.

"You'll have fun, Damon," Tyler exclaimed again. "We have so many places to take you to, starting from tonight."

"Wait, what?"

"Trust me," Tyler encouraged him, and Damon decided to just smile and nod, simply because he was too tired to argue and he also needed to have fun. The experience had been traumatizing for him, both physically and psychologically.

"You are oddly quiet today, Stefan." Damon turned to the brown-haired young man on his left, who was playing with his vodka shot.

"I'm tired, I guess," Stefan said, giving him an unconvincing grin. "Congratulations, though. I'm happy that you made this choice. Are you going to accept the position now?"

"I'm thinking about it. Now that I'll be healthier and stronger, both mentally and physically, I'll be able to take the training more seriously."

"Good for you," Stefan said simply. "You are lucky to be given this opportunity, Damon. I wouldn't throw it away if I were you."

"Someone is suddenly interested in politics!" Matt interrupted, "Since when, Stefan? I thought you hated responsibility."

Stefan was taken aback for a second, but then shrugged. "It's still an honourable position, Matt."

"Speaking of _positions_," Matt smirked slyly, changing the topic instantly, "When are we going to take him to the Underground?"

"The Underground?" Damon asked, puzzled.

Tyler slapped his hand on his forehead. "Thanks for ruining it, Matt."

"What?" The other replied, "I haven't said anything yet."

"What are you two babbling about?" Damon asked, their conversation suddenly getting on his nerves. "What the hell is the Underground?"

"You will know tonight," Tyler said. "We'll pick you up at eleven. Suit up."

"But-"

"Damon. You need to loosen up, and have fun," He interrupted. "You are either too soft, too worried, or too human. Vamp up."

Damon was not pleased at all. He was on the verge of having a breakdown. His thirst had returned, his emotions were all over the place, and he wanted to kill his father for forcing him to do it. The last thing he needed was someone saying that he was too soft. He had heard that enough from his father. He took a deep breath, and finally allowed himself to calm down, forcing a smile, as if what they said hadn't offended him.

"I'll be expecting you, then," He said, raising a glass of scotch to his lips.

* * *

Elena was only allowed to go out with the permission of her master, and it was more than simply a 'go-ahead'. This permission was actually a written one, and a copy was found in Mystic Falls Government department. Every slave had a record there, and it was up to the masters if they allowed their slaves to go out or not. Humans were punished severely if they were found outside when a contract stated otherwise, even if they were with their masters. According to Giuseppe, he paid a fee annually that allowed Elena to go outside, stating that the town needed to be 'aware' of how many humans had the ability to 'roam around'. She had wanted to laugh at that, because she could hardly roam around when she was chained to her vampire escort, or when she was being observed by hundreds of vampires in town. After all, she was not a common slave. Everybody knew her, because she belonged to the highly-respectable Giuseppe Salvatore, governor and protector of the vampire territories.

The reason why Giuseppe allowed Elena to go out was to go shopping for them, simply for the pleasure of seeing her carry about five bags daily. At times, he would also take her out with him to humiliate her. He knew how humiliated she felt when he tied her up from around the waist and pulled her along like a dog on a leash as they walked the streets, or when he slapped her in public to show his superiority.

Even though she hated it all and even though she knew that she was allowed to leave simply to shop, Elena looked forward to those few days when she went out alone. Sure, people gave her looks, and she would still be dressed in a slave's dress, a cuff would still be locked around her ankle that indicated her confinement, but at least it was freedom from the prison which she called the Salvatore house.

Tucking the shopping list into her pocket, Elena went to her master. He always wanted to check her clothing before she went out, and it was a part of the procedure in Elena's life of slavery. He would check her clothing, then approve or disapprove accordingly, and then he would either pick up the chain that indicated that he was going with her or he'd simply turn his back on her. She prayed that it was the latter that day, and thankfully it was.

"I want you to buy the finest foods as I might be inviting the board over for dinner," He told her as he tightened the cuff around her ankle which had his name written on it, as if his credentials clinging to her body weren't enough. "And make sure to get some wine, too."

"Yes, Master," Elena replied dutifully.

"Keep your head down at all times, and only speak when you're spoken to," He told her again.

"Of course, sir," Elena said robotically.

"Go on. Don't take too long."

* * *

The warm sun strengthened Elena right away. Her lips tugged up slightly as she walked slowly down the long road that led her to the centre of the town, lost in her thoughts. She remembered her village, the days she spent playing outside and simply being a child. Then, she also remembered when she was kidnapped, that one day that she wasn't careful, the day when she stepped a little closer towards the town's border. It was enough for the vampires to grab her and throw her on a ship, where she was starved and beaten, and where the vampires kicked the girl to wake her. It was simply a lack of precaution that got her to this town, that got her father killed. If only she had never stepped that close, if only she had stayed within the safety limits of the town.

A tear streamed down her cheek. When she was younger, she used to think that Damon would protect her, but she had realised by now that the abuse was just going to keep growing as she aged. First, it was verbal, then it was physical; and now…Now she didn't even know what was happening to her. What she knew was that she couldn't tell anyone. She knew that Giuseppe had used his mind control tricks on her; because she was going to remain silent forever about what was happening. Her confusion, her hurt and pain…they were all simply in her heart and mind. She couldn't even talk to herself out loud about it.

Her eyes then fell on a particular tree, a tree which was quite particular. Damon had said that it had the form of the crucified Jesus Christ, and she had never understood how he saw it that way. She had laughed back then, and told him that he was too religious, and then they had sat next to the tree for hours before they carved a simple E and D there. Damon had said that it was going to be the eternal proof of their friendship.

_"I wish it will always be like this, Damon."_

_"It will be, Elena. We will be friends forever." _

_"I'm afraid that you'll hate me when you grow up." _

_"Never, Elena. See these?" He carved the first letter of her name, and then his. "They will remain there forever, just like our friendship."_

They had been so innocent. They truly had no idea that society would tear them apart, and that Elena was afraid of the very same man who was once her friend, who was once moral and kind, and who had such faith that they could be friends forever.

Elena sighed and kept walking, trying to ignore the sadness that filled her heart.

* * *

The rest of the day passed quickly and by the time Elena returned, it was six in the evening. She then cooked, served dinner, washed the dishes, and by the time she sat down to eat it was late and she was so tired she could barely keep her eyes open. Thankfully, she was alone because Giuseppe had left for some business right after he finished dinner, and it had given her enough time to prepare a simple dish for herself, because lately he was not allowing her to eat with them or eat the same thing they did.

However she did not enjoy the quiet for too long, because she heard someone coming through the front door. She realised that it was Damon.

"I'm hungry," He said simply.

"I made a spinach pie…" Elena stammered, "Do you want me to heat it up for you?"

"Spinach pie?" He laughed, almost evilly. "The blood, Elena. Where do you keep it?"

"My master has told me to give you no more than half a bloodbag tonight," She shivered, fearing his wrath. "It is in the fridge. Do you want it warm or cold?"

"Half a bloodbag?" Damon exclaimed, "Are you kidding me?"

"Please, Damon. It's your father's call, not mine. I have to obey."

Elena had less than a second to close her eyes as he pinned her to the wall savagely. "You will _obey me _this evening. Now, heat up one bloodbag." He let her go and she rubbed her sore arms.

"Now, Elena. The thirst is increasing, and my control over it has its limits. I _will _feed on you if I don't get what I desire."

Elena nodded her head in fright, knowing too well that he could easily lose control. She placed the bag in the microwave and waited, noticing that Damon was tapping his hands against the table, looking pale.

Her body shaking, she turned to face him. No matter what happened, she still felt an odd sense of…what could she call it? Pity? Care? For him. The fact that he was suffering was not making her happy. She knew that he didn't deserve any of this.

"How are you feeling?" She took the risk, her voice quiet. She knew he could hurt her for asking him that; she had no right to talk to him as if she were talking to friend. She was being too informal, at least in the eyes of vampires. "With the transition and all?"

"Don't act like you care," He shot hotly, not even bothering to look at her.

Elena flinched, but luckily the hurtful moment only lasted a second. She grabbed the bloodbag and handed it to him. "Anything else, Master?" She murmured, heartbroken.

"No. You can leave, Elena," He said, his voice quieter, as if he were lost in his thoughts. "Don't come back here until I'm ready."

She nodded and turned on her heel.

_"I don't want to accidentally feed on you…" _Damon added sadly when he was sure that she was gone.

* * *

As promised, Tyler arrived at eleven sharp. Damon had been ready for quite a while, and even though he had struggled to find an appropriate suit, he was finally satisfied with the way he looked. He peered at his friends who were all dressed in their best suits; looks which he had never seen them wear. Surely, they had to be going somewhere elegant.

"So, what exactly is the Underground?" Damon asked as soon as he climbed the sophisticated, bright red sports car.

"So curious," Matt teased. He was sitting in the front, leaning against the seat casually, his legs wide open. "You're going to have fun tonight, Damon."

Damon saw Tyler smirk through the mirror, and it made him feel uneasy. He tried to ignore his thirst as they stopped to pick Stefan up, and soon they were on the road, the car-top-down and driving as fast as they could, simply to enjoy the power.

"Woo!" Tyler cheered the faster he drove; and Damon found himself enjoying it. Now that he was a vampire, he was immortal, and he didn't have to worry about getting hurt.

After several minutes, Tyler pulled over in a parking lot, and Damon saw a huge sign on which the word "The Underground" was written in bright, big letters.

Matt patted Damon on the shoulder, and then said, "It is only fair that you will get to lose your virginity in the most sophisticated brothel in town, a brothel for vampires only, of course."

Damon froze. "You brought me to a brothel?"

"This is not simply a brothel!" Tyler smirked excitedly, "This is _the _brothel! You will know soon enough, Damon…but first, arrange your suit, put a cigar in your mouth and take a deep breath, because what we are about to show you is heaven on Earth."

…


	22. Chapter 22

**Managed to write this chapter in between my study break. **

**Happy Easter to those of you who celebrate it. **

**Huge thanks to my beta throughmysoul44 for her patience, love and support.**

* * *

Damon's feet were stuck to the ground. His face had paled when he peered up at the sign. Tyler and the other boys looked lustfully at the picture of the almost completely nude woman, whose fingers were showing the direction of the brothel.

"This is no ordinary brothel," Tyler repeated excitedly, "It's for high class members of society. The girls are all very pretty and very talented in what they do." He raised his eyebrows suggestively, and Damon shifted again, uncomfortably.

"Come on, Damon, don't tell me you don't want this!" Tyler gasped, his voice showing a mixture of shock and disappointment. "Be a man. Come with us, we'll have fun tonight. We should celebrate, you are soon going to be our governor, after all. It is common for governors to have multiple partners before settling down. Enjoy life…live a little!"

Damon was about to refuse, but the look on his friends' faces made him think twice. He knew that they would be disappointed in him, and that if he didn't follow the norm he'd end up all alone again. It was bad enough that they suspected his little soft spot for Elena. He couldn't give them more things they could use against him.

"Sure," He finally said, "Why not?"

"That's the spirit!" Matt called out excitedly, before rushing over to Damon and patting him on the back. "Now hurry up…the best girls are often the first ones taken."

The boys started to walk without a word, and Damon knew that if his heart were still beating, it would've been beating faster than ever. He didn't feel comfortable doing this, he had always imagined that it'd be done somewhere else. The idea of a brothel turned him off. His mother's teachings, as well as the way she raised him, had contributed to that. But he couldn't back away, not now.

The road was dark and wide, and that part of town was so abandoned that there wasn't even any road surfacing. Small pebbles and stones were actually getting inside his shoes, and he was becoming annoyed.

"We're almost there," Stefan whispered, and Damon could hear loud music.

"The Underground offers everything you can ever imagine…A brothel, a club, a bar…" Matt went on and on, and his mouth tugged upwards in a sly grin. "As we told you, it is truly heaven."

Damon said nothing, but kept following Tyler and the others, who all finally stopped in front of a fair-sized building. A bodyguard was standing tall next to the front door, but he greeted the boys.

"Who is the new guy?" He asked them.

"Damon Salvatore, of Giuseppe Salvatore," Tyler answered immediately. "He's high class."

The bodyguard took a long look at Damon. "Of course, Sir. I recognise you. I apologise. Enjoy your night."

Damon nodded his head awkwardly, unsure of what to say. The man slid the door open, his muscled arms pushing the boys in.

The place was dark, with black and red wall coverage -what? , but there were a couple of candles in the hallway which allowed Damon to see the variety of portraits that hung on the wall, most of them of nude young women. Their expressions varied as well, some giving sensual looks, some rather vague, and others almost showing a hint of sadness.

"Ah, Georgina," Tyler drooled as he moved closer to one specific portrait. It showed a young woman, no older than twenty, with dark red curls that covered her breasts. The angle at which the photograph was taken showed her bare rear, and for a while Damon stared at her, his body stiffening. As soon as he looked up, however, he saw the poorly-concealed fear and sadness in her eyes, and once again, he felt the urge to leave.

"She's the one I usually pick," Tyler commented. "She's my favourite, I guess. And she's actually quite cheap to hire. I think it's because she's human, but then again…"

"Human?" Damon cut him off, his eyes widening. "I thought-"

"There are vampire girls as well," Tyler informed him. "The vampire girls are here out of their own free will, but they are expensive…experienced but expensive. Plus, you have to treat them with dignity, or they would throw you out on your ass. The humans, on the other hand, are slaves here. You can be as monstrous as you'd like, because they have no say. If they do not satisfy us, they are killed…or worse. I almost always choose the humans, because I don't like to be bossed around. I also don't want to be in trouble with any of the employers, so I take the humans because no one cares."

Damon was about to throw up. He wasn't simply in a normal brothel. Some of the young girls in that place were actually being raped. He felt his human side kicking in. He could make up an excuse and leave them, he could say that he wasn't feeling well…but he didn't. He couldn't end up alone again. He had friends and he was thinking about being the governor. If rumors started spreading, he would start off on the wrong foot. It wasn't an honour being a virgin, especially with his standards. He had always felt uncomfortable about his virginity. On the other hand, he was also becoming snappy…He was horny all the time, and he knew that he needed a good lay.

As soon as he came out of his trance, he realised that Tyler, Matt, and Stefan were practically running ahead, pushing each other to make sure they got there in time. Looking one last time at them and at the door that led out of that hell hole, he decided to join them. He saw them taking out their wallets, but before he could do anything else, Tyler smirked, "Tonight, it's on us. Enjoy your night, mate. You will meet the girls soon enough."

Damon didn't have the chance to speak, because soon they pulled him in the nightclub area, in which dozens of girls were dancing in cages.

"These are all human. We paid a pass for the human section. There's a girl for everyone here, so don't worry…They keep coming and coming until every last customer is satisfied. They dance for roughly twenty minutes. At the end of the dance, go up to the girl and then…Thank us tomorrow!" He laughed the last bit off. "But, for your knowledge…From left to right, there's Rosalie, Samantha, Jasmine, my Georgina, Alice, Victoria, Juliette-"

However, Damon was not paying attention. He just smiled to indicate that he was understanding, but refused to say anything else during the twenty minute dance routine. And when the time finally came for him to choose, when he saw all the men rushing up to the girls, grabbing them, pulling them with no dignity, he felt worse than he ever had in his life. He had to shut it out, he had to shut off his humanity.

He didn't know what happened, but all he knew was that suddenly he had a girl in his arms, the first girl from the left. Rosalie, he thought, the only name he could remember from Tyler's ongoing list. She was pretty, not as beautiful as Elena, but she would do. Her blonde hair fell in waves down her back, she had a fair complexion and red lips. But her crystal blue eyes showed no happiness. In fact, it seemed like she had been drugged to remain numb, because even as he pulled her towards one of the bedrooms, it was like he was pulling a lifeless rag doll. She walked unsteadily, her high, silver stilettos screeching against the parquet, her lingerie sparkling due to excessive glitter. But there were no screams coming from her mouth, even though both he and she knew that she was there against her will. And he…he didn't budge, even though he was fully aware that this girl was about to be raped.

Even though he knew that _he_ was going to rape her.

* * *

"Elena!" Giuseppe barked, and Elena thanked the heavens that she was still up in her bed, because he would've scared the life out of her if he barged in when she was asleep.

"Yes, Master?" Elena sat up quickly, regaining her composure. It was something that she had learnt to do. No matter where she was, whether it was sleeping, bathing, or eating, she had to take up the role of the obedient slave the second he called her.

"Do you know where Master Damon is?"

"He is out, Master. I don't know where he went."

Giuseppe sighed but walked over to her calmly. Elena was about to get off the bed, but he stopped her. Instead, he slowly pushed her down until her head was resting on the pillow, before he finally let his weight fall on top of her.

"Master…" Elena said, her tone almost pleading.

He nuzzled her cheek softly but suddenly, his hands grabbed both of her wrists in a vice-like grip, before forcing them next to her head. He held them there, pinning them to place, as he lowered his face to hers and kissed her hard on the lips.

"So beautiful," He muttered, stroking her skin through the thin nightshirt she was wearing. He then raised it upwards, inch by inch. "Stay still."

* * *

The girl was laying immobile on the bed as Damon finished unzipping his pants. His hands were shaking as he reached down to take off his boxers, not because he didn't want to do it, but because he knew that it was immoral. His mother hadn't raised a rapist, but then again, Camilla was not there. She hadn't been there for a long time.

He shoved the pants down in one go, suddenly feeling self -conscious as he walked towards the girl. He didn't plan to torture her, but he was going to get what he wanted. He gave her a small smile, yet she remained immobile, even as he unclasped her bra and slid it down her arms. He nearly salivated as his fingers trailed over the very top of her breasts.

"You can be a willing participant," He told her suddenly. "I won't do this this way. I paid a lot of money for you, sweetheart." While that was technically a lie, she didn't know it.

The girl remained motionless.

"I will report you," He threatened, "I won't have you this way."

It was then that he saw a tear slide down her cheek. A single tear that was leaving a track from her eye to her mouth. He was about to ignore it, his finger already busy pushing the elastic of her panties down, when he looked back at her again, to wipe it away. Only when he did look back; it wasn't Rosalie's face he saw, it was Elena's. She was crying, calling out his name, begging him to stop.

He screamed, and when he opened his eyes again, he saw Rosalie looking at him in fright. Her blue eyes were full of fear as she begged him to stop.

* * *

"Please, stop!" Elena cried out while her hands bunched the sheets, trying to find away to get rid of the endless pain. But she couldn't. He kept pushing inside of her, thrusting hard, so hard that she couldn't even feel her lower body anymore. It was one big ache.

"Stop…" She whispered, her voice becoming faint.

He didn't.

* * *

"Please, Sir, stop…" Rosalie begged him, her eyes on Damon's hands, which were still tugging at the hem of her panties. "Don't do this. Please."

Damon looked at her for a few minutes, seeming lost. The voices inside of his head grew louder. He heard his mother's voice, urging him to get out of there and save his soul. She wanted Damon to allow himself to be saved from eternal damnation, and remain the sweet boy she had raised. Elena's voice, the lovely voice she had as a kid, was telling him to go back to her…go back to being friends, to treating her humanely. But then, the voice of his father was screaming at him, offending him, calling him a weak son of a bitch. His friends were even shouting at him, and so were the people who he was supposed to protect as governor; they were seeing him as weak now.

"Stop…" She whispered again, her voice becoming faint.

He did.

* * *

**Obviously the parallels show how saddening Elena's situation is, and this also highlights the difference between Damon and his father. They are both vampires, supposedly 'related', yet Damon is nothing like him. I also want to make a point clear: Damon did not go through with it not because he does not want to have sex. He is not that innocent/quiet. He stopped because he is not a rapist.**

**Please Review!**


	23. Chapter 23

I am finally back with a new chapter! I have finished my exams, my summer has officially begun and I'm more excited to continue this story.

So much has happened since I last updated! Did you like the season finale of the vampire diaries? I have to admit, when Nina said that she was leaving, I was heartbroken. I couldn't believe that we won't be seeing Damon and Elena again in the series. I keep hoping that Nina returns for at least the series finale...I'm not giving up on them. But yeah; it was bitter and the TVD I know and love, for me, is over. I don't know if I'll be watching next season but even if I do, it'll never be the TVD I fell in love with *sighs*

That being said, we still have fanfiction, thank goodness for that.

Would like to thank throughmysoul44 for her editing, you rock, girl!

Stay tuned for an IMPORTANT Author's Note below.

Enjoy!

* * *

Giuseppe's body fell on Elena's as he panted, hard. His breath by her ear disgusted her. He remained on top of her for a few more painful seconds before finally raising, pulling his boxers up, trousers with them.

Elena remained on the bed, immobile, her legs still wide open. Her t-shirt was scrunched beneath her breasts, her panties around her ankles. She could barely move—the pain was unbearable.

He didn't even glance at her as he proceeded to put his shirt on. Instead, he turned towards the mirror, styled his hair, and left, not caring that he had once again taken part of Elena's life with him. She felt completely drained. Every time he touched her, it was like he was stealing a piece of her, not only physically, but also emotionally.

She made an effort to stand up, feeling dirty and disgusted. She had to wash herself. She had to wash _him_ off the body he had claimed.

The girl didn't even have the strength to cry as she got under the cold water.

* * *

Damon's eyes were glittering with unshed tears. He had stormed out of the brothel like a madman. He felt desperate, frustrated, and disgusted with himself. He knew that if his mother were there, she would disapprove of the man he had become. He was letting others around him turn him into a monster.

His legs wobbling, Damon used his newly-found vampire speed to run down the long road. It was a full, bright moon that night and it was oddly quiet. Vampires were known to come out at night, but the peace Damon was feeling in the darkness of the Earth was unique. Maybe it was because he had just freed himself from such a sinful place.

Damon kept running, enjoying this freedom. Tyler and the others were still inside, and since they had picked him up, his only options were speeding back or catching the bus. However, he needed time to think. He didn't want to go back home. He wanted to find a quiet place and calm himself down before anything else could happen.

Unknowingly, Damon found himself going to the place he had taken Elena as children. He remembered them falling asleep together under the stars. He even remembered the innocent love he had felt for her; the love a twelve year old felt for a friend.

As soon as he sat down on the ground, tears began to spill down his cheeks. Tears for his mother. Tears for Rosalie and for what was being done to her. Tears for himself and his long lost childhood. But most of all, tears for Elena and the friendship they used to share.

Seeing Rosalie that night made him cringe at the thought of what could happen to Elena at the hands of other vampires. He found himself wanting to protect her, wanting to take her away from this mess. Even if she was the cause of his mother's death…She deserved a chance to tell him about what really happened that night. Her confusion a few days earlier made him realise that maybe after all, there was more to the story than what Giuseppe had claimed.

Slowly raising from the ground, Damon made his way back home. He was absolutely restless as he climbed up the stairs and softly knocked on Elena's bedroom-door.

"Y-Yes?" A shaky voice said from inside. He knew that she was surprised—Giuseppe never knocked.

"It's me. It's Damon," He told her, not sure of what else he should say. He rarely came to her room. It felt foreign even to him.

From where he was, he heard her sniffle, a realization that she had been crying.

"C-Come in, M-Master Damon," Elena said, hugging the sheets closer to her body. She tried hard not to flinch. Why was he in her room? Was he going to hurt her like his father had just done?

Damon stepped into the bedroom carefully, his gaze fixed on hers. He closed the door behind him and sat down on the bed, noticing that she looked really tired. Her hair was wet and she seemed cold.

"I really need to get you a hair dryer," He said lightly.

Elena didn't reply. Instead, she just blinked at him, confusion written on her face.

"How are you, Elena?"

Elena's first instincts were to cry or break down. But she knew that she couldn't. She couldn't even talk to herself out loud about what was being done to her. Giuseppe had compelled her to keep it a secret; Their little secret, he had called it.

"I'm f-fine," She said, her voice shaking.

For moments, Damon didn't know what to do or what to say. He wasn't even sure why he was there. But then, something inside of him clicked.

"Are you too tired?" He asked her gently.

Elena stared at him. What was the right answer? She was supposed to obey him.

"I was wondering if you'd like to come with me outside, the place I took you to when we were children. Do you still remember where?"

_Of course I do, _she wanted to scream at him. It reminded her of times when she could still trust him. Instead, she nodded her head at him, still unsure.

"I won't hurt you, Elena," He promised her. "I just need to talk to you and I don't want to do it here."

Elena nodded her head and jumped off the bed, still hugging her arms close to her chest. He smiled at her and grabbed a towel from her dresser, drying off the excess water from her hair, before taking a brush and running it down her beautiful brown locks, just like when they were children and he'd braid her hair.

"I'll let you get dressed," He said, leaving the room swiftly. "I'll wait for you outside."

* * *

Elena was not allowed a lot of clothes, except for the usual slave dress, therefore she didn't take too long to emerge out of the bedroom, wearing a simple white dress with wide straps. She looked at the floor, covering herself with her arms, and waited for his 'go-ahead'. Her whole life revolved around waiting. She had to wait for permission. She had to wait for others to spit orders at her. She had to wait for Giuseppe to get bored of her before moving off the bed, or before wrapping her arms around her naked body and crying.

However, Damon did not use words. He did not scream at her to walk like Giuseppe had, and he did not pull at her arm to the point that bruises formed on her skin. Instead, he walked towards her with a smile. "You look nice."

Elena looked up quickly, still not believing what she was hearing. "T-Thank you," She stammered.

"Follow me," He said in a quiet voice, "Don't make a sound."

Elena nodded her head, her stomach churning. She had no idea what he had planned for her and she was also afraid of Giuseppe waking up. She knew that he wouldn't approve of her leaving the house without his permission. On the same hand, she couldn't disobey Damon. She had no idea what he'd do if she said no or if it would just make things worse for her with Giuseppe.

Damon opened the door and waited for her patiently on the porch as she stood frozen by the door. Had he really forgotten how the procedure worked when a slave travelled with her master? Had he really forgotten that he had to make her wear a cuff around her leg, and that he had to wrap a piece of rope—what Giuseppe called a leash—around her waist, before they could go? Had he truly forgotten that it was exactly like a human walking their pet dog?

"What's wrong?" Damon asked her, walking back inside when he saw that she hadn't moved an inch. He saw her looking at the umbrella stand, in which Giuseppe kept those 'accessories' to humiliate Elena whenever they went out together.

"That won't be necessary," He told her quickly, realization hitting him. "Come on, Elena."

A very small smile appeared on Elena's lips, and she followed him without another word. At times, she would glance at him carefully, observing the way the moon casted shadows on his perfect face. It was the face that haunted her dreams every night, the face she desperately longed for yet was scared of at the same time.

After a while, Damon sat down on the ground and patted the spot next to him. His eyes were almost pleading with her, almost as if he was desperate for her company. She sat down carefully, smoothing out the dress and keeping a few good inches between them. Her heart was beating so fast that it felt like it was about to explode. She closed her eyes and started to wait—wait for something, anything to happen.

"It's a beautiful night," Damon said quietly all of a sudden. "Isn't it nice, to be able to sit down and appreciate the things around you? The only good thing that comes out of pain is that you appreciate everything more. In your mind, everything somehow calls out to you. It is like you're sharing your story with nature."

Elena looked at him blankly, not quite understanding him.

"You see that star up there?" He pointed at it, "It stands out. It's the brightest, and possibly the most beautiful one, so it makes it distinctive from the rest. Ironically, it is the very same brightness and beauty that makes it the lonesome star, different and abandoned. That's me. I'm the lonesome star, Elena. All of my life, people thought that I'm blessed to be the governor's son. I'm different, and people think that it's a good thing. But it's not. Even if it means sacrificing the luxuries, I would have preferred to be normal, to just be Damon. People have always treated me differently."

Damon cleared his throat. "When my mom died she left a hole in my heart that could never be filled. All these years I struggled, constantly debating whether I should move on, whether I should simply distract myself and try to forget her, or whether I should try to remember and honour her. I tried them all. I tried losing myself in things that I like and I tried to forget. Maybe all this time, I was doing it wrong. Maybe I was supposed to grieve her rather than try to forget her."

"You were young," Elena said at last.

"Yes, but old enough to understand that my mom's death was no accident," He replied, "At least that's what I thought. But now, after all these years, I'm done with simply accepting and forgetting. I accepted my father's explanation. He told me that Grayson killed her, yet you seemed as confused as I was when my father brought it up. So now, after seven years, I'm giving you the chance to speak. I really need to know the truth, just once," He pleaded.

Elena wiped a tear from her cheek. "I get it now."

"Get what?" He asked her.

"Why you hated me all these years," She said, staring at a blank space. "You thought I had something to do with your mother's murder. But I assure you, Damon. My father loved your mother. That night she was killed…he was going to try and cure her. That's why he was there. I hopped in the van without him noticing because I wanted to see you again. Everything else that happened, me meeting you at that time…it was a coincidence. I didn't hop into the van to distract you as my father killed your mother. My father loved her, Damon. I know that for sure. Everything else that Giuseppe has told you is a lie. I came back that night _for you._"

Damon's mind was about to explode. If Elena was indeed speaking the truth, then he had spent seven years punishing Elena for nothing, because Elena was never an accomplice in his mother's murder. She had come back for him and spent seven years paying for a crime she didn't commit. The shame and guilt he was feeling were too much to bear. If Elena hadn't returned that night, she would've presently been a happy, normal teenager, and not a slave who received beatings three times a week.

"You can compel me," She told him. "You're a vampire now. You can do it, it'll confirm everything I said."

Damon stared at her, his heart about to break into a million pieces. He didn't even have to compel her. He believed her instantly, and maybe it was because even though he had blamed Elena's father for seven years, there had always been the consideration—slight, but still there—that Grayson Gilbert had been as much of a victim as his mother had. However, he knew that he had buried this consideration deep down simply because it was better than the truth.

And the truth was that Giuseppe was the one who killed his mother. It had to be. He had been in the room before Damon arrived.

"No," Damon choked a pitiful sob that echoed in the night. "No."

The pain in his heart was tearing him apart. He realised then that maybe it was why he never bothered to ask Elena about that fatal night…because he had always known that the pain would be too much to accept. His own father had killed his mother. He had taken away the most special person in his life and made him hate the other.

His hands started to tremble as he buried his face, letting himself cry. It occurred to him then, that he never really grieved his mother. He was too stuck between hating Elena and the rest of humanity and trying to forget her. But he needed it. He needed to cry, he needed to let her go. He knew the truth now, he could do it.

"I'm so, so sorry, Elena," He pleaded like a madman through a river of tears. "I'm sorry I hated you. I'm sorry I let my father beat you. I'm sorry I let him do this…"

Elena knew that Damon was not in the right state of mind. He was confused, and he was feeling like everything was his fault, including his mother's death. Despite everything he had done to her, Elena knew that Damon could've done worse things to her yet he never did. Despite the hatred he felt towards her in all those years, he never did half the things Giuseppe did to her. Her kind nature prohibited her from turning her back on him now.

"It's okay, Damon," She said, squeezing his hand. "It's okay."

"No, it's not," Damon cried, "My own father killed my mother! I allowed him to convince me otherwise for seven years, but the worst part is that I felt it! I always felt that he was lying, that there was more…but I chose to focus on hating humankind. I should've been focusing on making _him _pay," He started to shake with anger, but then his eyes softened and filled with tears again. "And you, Elena…You were in that van that night because you wanted to see me again, because you considered me your friend. And I made you pay for that act of friendship with seven years of torture. For seven years you've been through hell because you decided to turn around. Why? Why did you come back for me? You shouldn't have done it, Elena! I'm not worth it!"

At that, Elena's eyes filled with tears. Emotion clogged her throat. What was she to say? She had regretted her decision the moment her father died. For seven years, whenever her gaze met Damon and he'd throw her a hateful look or speak to her with hatred, she'd curse at herself for getting in that van. But now, now that Damon was so open, and now that she realised that he too had been fooled and led to believe that she had been an accomplice, she knew that they were both victims. Throughout those years, Damon looked at her as his mother's murderer. She could understand why he'd feel hatred for her, but she never did before…simply because she never knew what Giuseppe had really told him.

"Will you ever forgive me?" He begged her. "I need it. I need your forgiveness."

He knew that it was a lot to ask and he didn't expect her to simply nod at him. He had left her alone and never bothered to protect her. But that was going to change.

"I need a lot of time," Elena said, wiping away the tears.

Damon nodded. "I understand. But let me promise you this, Elena. I will never let my father hurt you again, and I will never hurt you. From now onwards, I will protect you and I will keep doing so until you beg me not to. I can never make up for the things my father…and I…have put you through, but I can try."

He carefully reached out to stroke her tears away. "Allow me to do this for you. Allow me to protect you and offer myself to you…Use me in whatever ways you want," He fell to his knees in front of her and hugged her waist, his tears staining her shirt.

"Forgive me, Elena…Please forgive me."

* * *

**As you can see, Damon is not in his right state of mind. He has just learnt that Giuseppe was his mother's murderer. As stated, he always felt that there was more to the story, but now that it is confirmed, it is obvious that he is hurt. He also hates himself for blaming Elena, and whilst I want to make it clear that he never did abuse her throughout those seven years, he mistreated her in other ways, e.g. by neglecting her, verbally abusing her, and leaving her to fend for herself whilst knowing fully well that Giuseppe was hurting her. I just wanted that to be clear so that it won't be confusing. Now, he has offered himself to Elena and vowed to protect her; but with the Board and the Governor position still in the picture, who/what is Damon going to choose? **

**Please Review**


	24. Chapter 24

**This chapter was not beta-d. Please excuse any mistakes.**

**I dedicate this chapter to throughmysoul44. I love you, girl! **

**I hope you enjoy it!**

**Regarding Rating concerns: This story is rated M. Yes, there is implied rape. It's part of the plot. It's not graphic, but a reviewer caught my attention and I thought I should post it as an Author's Note for future reference in case I didn't mention it earlier. But yes, this is why it was rated M, for sexual references and implied rape (More the aftermath of it)**

**And...finally, bring on the Delena. Took Damon long enough! xD **

* * *

Damon's mind was spinning. He felt trapped; trapped inside his own body. He wanted to simply be able to run, to take Elena with him and disappear. But he couldn't. The Board was still training him with the public's funds as they called it; especially since he had decided that he didn't want his father to train him. The training process was intensive, and he had to get some on-the-job experience as well as research. His vampire abilities were also strengthening, however he was being trained often to master the physical aspect of the governor position.

However, he knew that the same Board was going to visit anytime soon, and they were going to expect that he had signed the contract. His father was about to retire, and it was the town's policy to train only interested candidates to avoid waste of time and money. He knew what was being expected of him.

He turned to look at Elena, who was practically glowing in the moonlight. Looking at her so intensely, a gift that came with vampirism, made him see her from a different perspective. He let his gaze move down her body and noticed the curve of her developing breasts, the width of her hips…everything that made him remember that this wasn't the Elena he knew seven years before. The Elena he was looking at right then was no longer a child, but a woman. He shuddered. Too much time had passed, he had wasted so much time hating her. She had grown up and blossomed into a beautiful woman right in front of him, like the caterpillar which blossoms into a colourful butterfly, and he wasn't there in the process. It came to him then; how much Elena had to be protected. Before, it was mainly from his father. But Damon knew that he'd have to protect her from much more than Giuseppe. His mind flashed back to the brothel, to young Rosalie, and he shuddered again at the thought of Elena being sent off to a place like that. He felt his heart break. He had to do something to take Elena away from Giuseppe. He needed him to sign her over to him. That way, she'd be safe, as he would never lock her up in a place like that. The idea of Giuseppe owning Elena was scaring him. He knew that the second he pissed his father off, Giuseppe would get rid of Elena, if not even permanently, and he wouldn't be able to stop him.

He was so lost in his reverie that he didn't even notice that Elena was looking at him as well. She was curled up into a ball; goosebumps all over her arm due to the chill of the night air. Her hair was completely dry, and little natural curls were hanging past her shoulders. It desperately needed a trim; but Damon knew that slaves weren't allowed that kind of luxury, at least not unless their masters allowed them to. Damon sighed and unzipped his jacket, furrowing his eyebrows when he felt Elena jump next to him, her relaxed features turning to that of horror. Suddenly realising what she must've been thinking, he quickly took off his jacket, draped it around her shoulders, and raised his hands in defeat.

"It's okay, Elena," He said, a hint of sadness lacing his voice. He knew that she must've been scared, all alone in the night with him.

At that moment, Elena wanted to cry. Seeing him fiddling with his clothes…It made her think of Giuseppe. But she couldn't cry or talk about it. Giuseppe had made sure of that.

"T-Thank you," She stammered, tightening the jacket around her.

For hours, they sat there without saying a word. And when Damon sadly said that they had to leave, Elena felt deep sadness. It was nice to not be treated savagely, even if it was just for a night. She knew that Damon would probably leave her all alone again the next day and she'd have to endure more torture and tons of hard work at home.

"I meant what I said," Damon told her as they walked up the stairs together. His voice was so sincere. "You can trust me."

* * *

The next morning, Elena woke up early as usual. Wearing the slave's dress, she ran a brush through her hair and hurried quickly down the stairs, knowing that Giuseppe would be pissed if he didn't have his breakfast—her blood—ready.

Which was why she was surprised when she saw Damon in the kitchen, preparing a large breakfast. He smiled at her and asked her to take a seat.

"Master Damon…If your father-"

"First of all, it's 'Damon'. Secondly, my father is not here. He left early today and I decided to prepare something nice for you."

Damon was not stupid. He knew that it would take much more than breakfast sausage and tater tots to convince Elena that she could trust him. In all honesty, he didn't even want her to think that all of this was done to 'buy' her off. He just wanted to do something nice for her. She deserved to wake up and have a decent breakfast.

"I have to leave a glass of my blood for your father, then," She said simply. It was the routine: If Giuseppe was there, he'd go straight for the vein, if he wasn't, he expected her to cut herself and leave a glass of her blood in the microwave. It was the way it had been for seven years, yet when Damon saw her raise a knife to her wrist, he gasped. "What are you doing?"

"It's what I do," Elena said robotically.

"Don't. Not today."

"He'd be mad. I have to," Elena said, making a deep cut in her wrist, a tear rolling down her cheek. "He heals me afterwards…sometimes," She added.

The more he heard Elena talk, the more Damon realised how much he had neglected Elena over the years. She had been doing it for years, yet he only realised then.

He walked slowly towards her and bit into his own wrist, never taking his eyes off her. "Drink my blood. I won't leave you in pain for hours until daddy dearest returns."

"Damon, I don't think…"  
"Elena, please?" He implored, extending his wrist to her.

Seeing nothing but sincerity, Elena wrapped her lips around the wound and started to drink deeply. With each pull, Damon felt things he couldn't describe, but he knew exactly what those feelings were. Lust. As her tongue lapped at the blood, his hands tangled in her hair, keeping her there. The feeling was orgasmic. His jeans were painfully tight, her pulse was mocking him and her beauty was aweing him. He could also see the effect that it was having on her. But it wasn't right, and he knew that. He knew that vampire blood was like a drug to a human being, and she was just in a trance.

"That's enough," He said gently, but he had to slightly push her away to get her to stop. When she looked at him, she seemed confused, as much as he was. He had never experienced something like that. He willed himself to think of other things…He couldn't take advantage of her. She had been afraid of him less than eleven hours earlier.

Damon's phone rang, breaking him out of the trance. Elena quickly turned away, turning her attention back to the frying pan as Damon picked up the phone. Serving the delicious food Damon had prepared, she took out the maple syrup from the fridge, something she hadn't had or seen in a very long time, and spread it all over her pancakes. It occurred to her that Damon must've done the shopping.

She turned around and saw Damon standing quietly in the middle of the room, seeming worried. Whoever it was obviously said something upsetting.

"Damon, are you okay?" She took the risk and asked.

"The Board's coming here tonight. They want me to make a decision," He told her. "They want me to become the new governor tonight. They said that they have encountered some problems and my father's about to retire…They want a different approach."

Elena flinched. She didn't mean to, but the idea of Damon in authority scared her.

"What are you going to do?" She whispered. She knew that she had no right to ask him, but she didn't care. She wanted to know if he was going to be an accomplice in more suffering of her kind.

"I don't really have a choice," Damon said. "They were training me. If I say no, they won't take it lightly. It's something I hoped for in my early teens but now that it's here…" He bit his lip, realising the true question. "It won't change anything, Elena. I promised you that I'll protect you. If anything; you'll be safer. No one will dare question me about you. I will have the power to make my father sign you over to me. You'll have more freedom," He assured her, taking slow steps towards her. "I won't make you bleed out in a glass. I won't deprive you of food and basic necessities. My father would have to comply. And then, when I get my own place, I'll take you with me."

Elena stared at him absent-mindedly. She knew that she could never go back to her family. Her father was dead, and she knew that her uncle was taken by the vampire authorities. She had no idea where he was and if he was still alive. The only family she had left was her younger brother, and she did not know anything about him. She didn't even know who he was living with and even if she did; if he was safe in a human village she didn't want to endanger him by attempting to get back to him. She officially had no one…No one except Damon. And whilst she would have preferred him freeing her any day, as strange as it was, he was all she got. She had no choice, even if she wanted to. At least she'd be safe. At least he wouldn't force her to bed like his father did. At least that was what she hoped.

"It will be okay, Elena," He assured her. "I'm going to try and make it up to you."

* * *

"You could have fucking called," Tyler shouted when Damon called him later that evening, after seeing about eight voice mails. "We looked for you everywhere. When your friends take you out in a brothel; you fucking wait for them in the morning and share the experience."

"I'm sorry, Tyler…I had to head back. I'll talk to you later, because the Board's coming over today."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Tyler mocked. "Whatever."

Damon said goodbye and hung up, however when he turned around he saw his father standing in the doorway.

"You finally did it, I see," Giuseppe said, a sick smile on his face. "I didn't know you had the balls."

"My life does not concern you."

"Oh, but it does," Giuseppe said. "At least I know that you've become a man. You're not a little boy anymore."

"I want Elena," Damon said quickly.

"Oh, you do? Go have her. She's in her bedroom right now, actually."

Damon could feel his blood boil in anger. "You know what I mean. The Board's coming over today, I will sign the contract and I'll become the governor. I'm taking her from you anyway. It would be much easier if you just sign her over to me."

"Hmm, I see you haven't fully changed, after all. I thought that after last night, you'd want Elena even more."

Damon felt sickened; sickened at the way his own father was talking to him and the way he was talking about Elena. He was speaking about her as if she were a common whore, not a person with feelings. Giuseppe wasn't even considering what Elena's needs were.

"We shall see," Giuseppe replied after a while. "I already told you…it will be a waste to have a girl like that and do nothing except look at her." He chuckled evilly and turned to leave. "Have your little slave to prepare a decent meal for tonight!"

* * *

Elena's nerves were tight as drum. With Giuseppe walking around the house constantly checking on her, she was afraid that she'd mess things up. She had been serving during elegant dinners for seven years, and it never got easier. Sometimes, it was because the steak was over-cooked. At times, it was because she forgot to offer her wrist to the guests. At others, it was because she brought the wrong cutlery. She had to follow an ever-growing list of demands or else she'd pay harshly for her mistakes. To make matters worse, she was afraid of how this was going to end. Even though Damon promised her he'll protect her; she knew that authority changed people's beliefs and perspectives.

After she had set the table up, she returned to her bedroom to change to the more formal dress, which was still a slave dress. Before she could enter, she saw Damon waiting for her, a bag in his hands.

"Damon…what are you doing here?" She asked him. "I thought you were out."

"I was, I'm back," He said, grabbing her hand and leading her to the bedroom. "I got you something."

Elena's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. He handed her the bag and instructed for her to open it. When she did, she found a beautiful and formal dress. It was burgundy, satin-like and one shoulder, decorated with beads. She had never seen such a beautiful dress before; she wasn't even allowed such luxury.

"You're going to wear this tonight," He instructed her. "You're not wearing your slave dress."

"Damon…" She said, looking at the dress. "I can't. You know that."

"As from today, you can," He took her hands in his gently. "Just trust me."

She looked at him for a minute before nodding.

"I got you some accessories, and a pair of black shoes. They are flat, don't worry. If you want, I can help you curl your hair. Or leave it straight. Whatever you want."

It was the first time she was given a choice. Usually, everything was dictated to her…Even her hairstyle.

"I prefer it straight, today," Elena replied.

"Then I'll help you straighten it, and I can braid a part of it if you like."

Elena nodded and let him brush her hair delicately. As his fingers worked their way through her hair, her mind wandered back to when they were children. His mother had taught him to braid her hair, and he was so gentle with her back then. He treated her as a person, he let her make her own choices. Just like he was doing at that moment.

It didn't take too long for Damon to pin two braids at the back of her head; and then he let the rest of the straightened hair hang past her shoulders. She had never looked more beautiful in her life.

"Do you know how to apply eyeliner?" He asked her.

"That woman in the shop taught me…But I don't know if I remember. It's been too long."

"Feel free to try it out. I got you cosmetic wipes." He handed her the makeup.

"Damon, are you sure about this?" She asked, "Your father is not going to be pleased."

"My father does not have a say anymore," He said simply. "Get dressed. The guests will be arriving soon."

* * *

Damon stood at the door, wearing his most expensive tux. His father was watching him, straightening his tie, as Damon shook hands with every council member before inviting them to take a seat. Then, without warning, Damon stood up and waited as Elena walked slowly down the stairs. He held out his hand and Elena took it, feeling intimidated by the looks the vampires were giving her.

"What the hell is this?" Someone yelled from the table. "Isn't this the slave?"

Damon walked calmly to the table, watching in delight as Giuseppe boiled with anger. Yet he knew that his father wasn't going to say anything. He wouldn't risk soiling the family name.

"Yes. And I've decided not to make her wear a slave's dress tonight." Damon was assertive in his speech, providing no more answers whatsoever. "Shall we start, gentlemen?"


	25. Chapter 25

**Would like to thank my beta throughmysoul44 for her awesome beta skills :)**

**Thank you for your support!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"You can't do this," Mr. Fell looked at Damon and then at Giuseppe sternly.

Giuseppe's teeth clenched together and he turned to Damon. Even though he was trying to remain calm, Damon knew that his father wanted to tear him apart for humiliating him like that in front of the Board. "Damon, behave yourself," He managed to spit out. "The slave shouldn't sit with us."

"This is how it's going to work," Damon stated. "If you want me to sign the contract, Elena will have to stay by my side. A lot of governors had human slaves to help them with their work."

"But no vampire was emotionally involved!" Mr. Fell yelled. "You can't back down from this position, Damon. It's the law."

"No," Damon spat, "The law states that you cannot say no to becoming a governor _after_ you've signed the contract to officially start your training, because otherwise we would've wasted our resources to train someone who did not even care. So yes, Mr. Fell, I wasn't even supposed to start training yet. It was supposed to start after I signed, and I did so at my own expense. I did it because I value this role. However you are mistaken if you think that I can't back down. I can and I will," He threatened. "And you know that it's much more worth it if you hire someone who already knows the basics. After all, time is only passing."

"No vampire should be attached to a human," Another member said. "The girl will have access to sensitive information. What if you were to develop a strategy to take down a human village?"

At that, Damon stopped for a moment. He was doing this to protect Elena, but he hadn't really thought of the emotional effects this might have on her. He wasn't worried about Elena spying on them, because the town was safely secured and no human could cross the town border without their master's permission. But he _was _suddenly worried about the girl's wellbeing. Sure, he cared about Elena, but his duties were still towards the vampire race. If he had to attack a human village which was placing their town in jeopardy, he wouldn't think twice, despite the fact that Elena would be there listening to their every word. It was cruel and he knew that, but there was only so much he could do.

He didn't dare to look at Elena, who was fiddling with her fingers next to him. He could sense that this was difficult for her.

"I will take care of it myself," Damon said, hoping he wasn't sounding too lame. He cleared his throat to sound more confident. "As a governor, I'll have the right to run this town as I see fit. I'll see to it that we are not put in any danger. However, Elena is my slave. I should have the right to treat her in the way I want."

"Slaves are here to work hard," Fell said again, angrily.

"Exactly. They are here to work, and not to be beaten or killed," Damon continued. "I have work for Elena. She can do it and still give her contribution to her master. There's no need for unnecessary violence."

"There's also a fine line between not using violence and making her seem like she's one of us," Giuseppe snarled. "I can maybe, just maybe, understand the no violence part. But I can never understand why you'd treat her as if she were one of us. You dressed her in beautiful clothing. She's sitting around the same table. These are all things which disgust me."

Elena's heart started to beat fast against her chest. She was being looked at as if she were a threat, and she knew well that vampires were known for removing threats.

"She's not one of us," Giuseppe repeated again. "She should keep her place. And you're forgetting one very important detail, Damon. Legally, the girl is mine. I should have the say."

"Then I'm very sorry," Damon stood up firmly. "I will not accept the position. Thank you for your time, but please, find someone else."

He attempted to rise but Giuseppe grabbed his arm, hard.

"Sit down!" He yelled.

"I'm not signing the contract," Damon kept the same assertive tone. "Not until you sign Elena over to me and not until you all tell me that you will stay the hell out of my business and let me treat Elena the way I want."

"You'd rather let us waste more resources and time to find an appropriate replacement than obey our laws?" Fell told Damon.

"I didn't say that. Do not twist my words. However, those are my conditions."

"Giuseppe, you do realise that if Damon doesn't accept, the Salvatore tradition will be broken?" Fell turned to the older Salvatore. "The Salvatores have been running the town for years. Surely you don't want this to happen. Maybe you can shake some sense into your son."

Giuseppe was humiliated, and Damon could see it. He started to stammer, and then he turned to Damon. In a quiet voice Damon hadn't heard in years, Giuseppe told him, "Damon, think about it."

"I already have," The boy said firmly. "It's up to the Board."

The members all looked at each other. Mr. Vonswartzchild, Stefan's father, stood up straighter. "Maybe this wasn't even a good idea after all. My son Stefan wouldn't have disrespected the vampire race like Mr. Salvatore here has. There are more people who are interested."

"The Salvatores have run this town efficiently for years," Giuseppe barked. "I'm going to retire even if there's no replacement found."

"It'll take months to interview different people," Fell said after a while. "We always gave the position to Salvatores. I know that Giuseppe here can offer great tips to his son. Besides, Damon is already partially trained. He can start giving his contribution immediately whereas with new people, we have to provide more intensive training and we won't have any guarantee that they'll work efficiently. I've worked with Damon already, and I see that he has potential." He sighed. "I'm not particularly happy with this, but I'm willing to give Damon the freedom to do whatever he wants with the slave as long as he accepts the position. What do you think?"

Suddenly, there were whispers, shouts, and discussion. Damon remained immobile, growing agitated in the middle of all that chaos. After a while, another member-whose name Damon had forgotten-spoke.

"Very well. We've decided to accept your conditions as long as Elena will be kept away from the file room and any strategies. She'll be able to help you in the office and be your assistant elsewhere."

Whilst it was less than he had hoped for, Damon decided not to push his luck. After all, it was perhaps better for both of them if Elena was kept away from sensitive information. He nodded his head and then turned to Giuseppe.

"I'm willing to accept if you pass all of the papers to me," Damon told his father. "I want everything. The papers, receipts, certificates, everything. You won't have any claim on her. Sign everything over to me so that I can become her legal owner."

Giuseppe's back was against the wall, and Damon knew it. The board had all agreed, and right now the older Salvatore was the only one keeping Damon from becoming the governor. Damon knew that the board would be ready to jump on Giuseppe if he so much as said the wrong thing after all the hassle they had been through. Also, Giuseppe did not want the role of governor to go to a stranger.

"Very well," Giuseppe said at last, the anger not perfectly concealed in his voice. "Whatever you want. I'll do it."

"Good," Damon smiled, almost as if he was going to do a victory dance. "Then we can proceed. I want everything written down on paper with attorneys and witnesses."

* * *

The procedure took hours but when Damon received the papers in his hands, confirming the legal 'ownership'. Knowing that his life was going to change because he had a lot of responsibilities, it was amazing news to be considered as Elena's legal owner. No one would dare harm the governor's slave now, and he knew that. However he was still not willing to trust Elena with anyone.

After he had signed all the necessary papers, and his father signed his, Giuseppe had vanished. He was still angry, and Damon understood that he had won the sick game his father had been playing. Giuseppe had no choice but to abide by his rules, and it felt great to be in the position of power after all the torture the man had put him and Elena through. He could never forgive Giuseppe for the secret he had kept from him and the worst part was that he couldn't confront him just yet. He couldn't tell him that he knew everything, because he was worried of what would happen. Instead, he was going to take pleasure in destroying his father's life slowly, and putting him in an inferior position just like he had done earlier.

The first thing he did when he and Elena returned back home was give the girl thicker linen. He told her that she wasn't going to have to suffer cold nights anymore. He stocked the wardrobe with appropriate bedding, watching her remain frozen next to the doorway.

"If there's anything that I can do to make your life easier, tell me," He said after a while. "You shouldn't suffer any longer. I'll see to it that you'll be given decent and frequent meals and that there's a reduction in the chores you have to do everyday. I won't be assigning a time limit. You can take your time, and I'll hire a maid to do the more intense stuff."

Elena didn't know what to say.

"Things will be changing, Elena." He walked towards her slowly and she stiffened, still unsure of what his intentions were. It seemed stupid considering what he had just done to get her to be his, but still, she couldn't trust too easily. He had all the power now, after all, and she knew that power was dangerous.

"You should take a shower and change. I have a few things which I'd like to clarify," He told her gently. "You don't have to wear the slave's dress. I'll be stocking your wardrobe and there are already some comfortable t-shirts. They are mine and they'll be quite big, but…" He paused when he saw her expression. She was too quiet, only blinking as he talked.

"Right…" Damon said awkwardly, "Take your time, Elena."

She nodded slightly and walked to the bathroom without a word, trying to figure out if things were really changing or if it was a beautiful dream.

* * *

Opting to choose only the most comfortable clothes, Damon sighed and put one of the shirts back in the wardrobe. Usually, clothing was regulated by Giuseppe, and Elena often had to wear tight, itchy clothes or clothes which were simply not made for certain tasks. Knowing that girls loved sweatpants and comfortable t-shirts for indoor wear, he made a note to buy Elena the necessary outfits. He didn't want her to keep wearing the slave's clothing. He didn't want to label her anymore. She was much more than a slave. She had an identity.

Taking all the necessary items in his arms, Damon walked back to Elena's room. Even though it wasn't terrible for a slave's room, there were still things to fix. The room was small, and even though it was enough for her, it lacked natural daylight and it was quite chilly. There were also things that he could add, such as paintings to make it livelier. Otherwise, it was fine, because the Salvatore mansion was very well decorated. There was even an ensuite bathroom for Elena, since Giuseppe didn't want her to use the same restroom as them, isolating her from the rest of the family. Elena didn't really mind because at least she had the privacy she always dreamed of, but the fact that Giuseppe would specifically demand that bothered Damon.

The raven-haired man set the clothes on Elena's twin bed and was about to leave. As soon as he turned, however, he saw Elena looking at him quite panicked, clutching a light pink coloured towel. Her hair was messy on her head in a high ponytail, and despite the innocent look on her face, Damon knew that Elena was not a little girl anymore. Her body showed him that she had blossomed into a young woman. He couldn't help but stare at her, and even though the towel was blocking everything from view, he could still see the slight cleavage and the very top of her small, developing breasts.

Elena was still standing a safe distance away from him, holding onto the towel for dear life. He walked towards her but she backed away quickly, until her back hit the wall.

"It's okay Elena," He assured her, stopping a few inches away. He slowly raised his hand to touch her cheek, and she flinched. However, she relaxed as soon as she felt his gentle touch. There was no pain, no torture. He was simply running his finger down her skin, his touch feather-light, it made her skin tickle. She didn't break eye-contact with him and neither did he. They were lost in each other's gazes, so much that Damon kept stroking her cheek semiconsciously. He moved closer to her, feeling her relax next to him, and she too made a step closer, allowing him to caress her better. Soon his hand was sliding down the column of her throat, down her collarbone, and finally to her right breast. He cupped it through the towel firmly, but it was then that Elena started to panic. She started to twist and turn in an attempt to get him away from her.

"No!" She protested, crossing her arms over her chest to shield her upper body away from him.

"Elena…you don't have to be afraid," He told her, stroking her breast again, even gentler.

"No, please…Get your hands off me," She begged. "Don't touch me, please."

At that, Damon took his hands off her immediately. He had thought she wanted him to touch her. She was enjoying his affection before he took it a step further, but the way she was distancing herself from him made it clear that she didn't want to. Suddenly, he felt horrible.

"Elena, I'm sorry…" He told her. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"I…I know," She said, a tear escaping her cheek. "I wanted you to touch me. But not like that. Please don't ever touch me like that," She cried.

Not knowing what to say, Damon choked out another apology. He felt ashamed of himself, even though he didn't have to be. It was simply a misunderstanding, he tried to convince himself. He had thought wrong.

The girl was innocent. Too innocent.

Yet she also wanted affection. Just not what he had in mind.

_Oh shit_, he told himself. This was worse than he thought. Everything about him and Elena was becoming complicated. To make matters worse, he had his own demons. His own desires. He was nineteen years old and he had never slept with anyone. Even though it had been his choice, it was getting harder everyday. What was worse was that he felt an intense desire and care for Elena. But he'd be damned if he ever touched her again. At least not until she wanted him to.

_If_ she ever wanted him to. Because in all honesty, he had done too much to her. He was surprised that she still cared- in her own twisted way, because the fear was still there- but she cared.

"I'll let you change," He said, walking out of the room quickly.

His face flustered, he went to the bathroom and settled for a cold shower, wondering what he had gotten himself into.

* * *

**Hooray-Elena finally belongs to Damon. Damon is now the governor, and Elena's going to be treated better. However, there are still issues they have to face. Elena is still scared but Damon, as you can see, wants Elena. She has a childlike innocence in her, so much so that she was okay with him touching her face but not when he took things a step further. **

**Please Review, thank you for your feedback**


	26. Chapter 26

**Wow-I can't believe how many of you are still reading the story! It seems like I just started it a few days ago when in reality we are already on chapter 26. Keep them coming!**

**Would like to thank my beta throughmysoul44 for her editing. Please support her awesome stories!**

* * *

That night, Elena held on to the blankets for dear life. She had not felt so warm in ages, and it surprised her how much she had really missed this basic need. Yet, she still could not sleep. A lot of thoughts were running through her head.

Damon was the governor. He had all the power and legally, he owned her. He could make her do whatever he wanted, like Giuseppe had.

_Damon's been through a lot to get you away from Giuseppe, _a voice inside of her head said. _He did so to protect you. He promised you that he wouldn't hurt you._

_Indeed, _Elena thought. If Damon wanted to hurt her, he would not have fought so hard for her. And he did promise that she was safe with him.

_He also promised you that you'd remain friends forever, _another voice in her head chided. _He promised you that he'd never hate you because you were different. Look what it got you—Seven years of torture._

And the voice was right. Damon had promised her that when they were children. She had told him that they could never be friends, and he had promised her that they would work. What hurt even more was that he fully believed in that, at least all those years before. He had been so sincere when making that vow. But he still abandoned her for seven years. He left her to face Giuseppe's wrath without doing anything to help her. For seven years, she had suffered physical abuse, humiliation, and it kept going on until he even started to abuse her sexually too.

A tear streamed down her cheek, her thighs clenching tightly together as her mind flashed back to the first night that Giuseppe had undressed her. What was worse was that despite everything, Elena had no idea what had been done to her.

She knew it was wrong since the day he touched her. When she was still with her parents, they would tell her to cover her body, and to go to the bathroom alone. When Giuseppe started to run his hands over her body, she instantly understood that he was not doing so to show affection. But she had never imagined that there could be so much more than that. The night her virginity was taken—a concept she did not even know of—was the night that everything changed for her. And whilst the physical pain subsided, her mental state did not. What happened to her that night was violence. For her, sex was a weapon. She just wanted to understand, and then she wanted to erase the encounter from her memory. But at least, she would have understood, just once. She wanted to understand how a man could feel pleasure by having her lay naked, by intruding her body in such a painful way.

Elena's mind turned back to Damon. Earlier, he had been so affectionate with her. She had wanted his touch so much, his gentle caress on her cheek. But the moment his hands started to touch her intimately, she panicked. She knew that it was not violent, that it had nothing to do with what Giuseppe had done to her, but still, she could not help it. She was afraid of something she did not understand, after all.

Elena squeezed her eyes shut and willed herself to relax, hoping that Damon would keep his promise.

* * *

The next morning, Elena woke to the feeling of someone stroking her hair and whispering her name. She awakened slowly at first, but then jumped when she saw Damon in her room. He pulled his hands away immediately.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," He told her.

Elena looked around, still a bit disoriented. She peered at the alarm clock on the nightstand and was shocked to see that it was already eleven in the morning. Her face changed, and Damon noticed that something was worrying her. "Elena?" He asked.

"You didn't scare me," She clarified, looking at him. "It's just that I'm used to waking up alone." _And at 5 or 6 in the morning, _she added mentally. She was never allowed to sleep in, not even on Sundays when both Giuseppe and Damon rose late.

"Well, I brought you breakfast in bed," Damon said with a smile, "So you better like that I woke you up."

Damon carefully picked up the tray off one of the surfaces in Elena's room and placed it on her knees. She smiled, seeing a plate full of pancakes with maple syrup, the same ones they used to have as children—topped with apples, her favourite.

"And peanut butter sandwiches, served with an orange juice of course," Damon said with a smile when he saw Elena looking at the bread.

"You didn't have to," Elena told him, taking a bite out of the sandwich. "But I really appreciate it. Thank you."

Damon gave her hands a gentle squeeze. "I want you to be happy, Elena. I really want that for you."

Elena looked down, lost in her thoughts as she ate, a smile appearing on her lips.

"I'd like to talk to you about some changes," Damon suddenly announced. "About your routine." He took a sip of his own black coffee.

"As I said last night, I won't be assigning a time limit on chores. You can take all the time you want. You're getting the weekends off and you don't have to wake up as early," He told her, "What's mine is yours. If you're hungry, you're free to eat whatever you like. If you require anything, you just ask me. It's really simple, Elena."

He cleared his throat. "This is all until my office is ready. Then, you will be coming with me to work. I promise that you'll be taken care of and I'll see to it that you are treated with respect. What do you think, Elena? Does that sound fair?"

Elena didn't know if it was a rhetorical question or not.

"Don't be afraid to speak up," He assured her. "I figured that you wouldn't want to stay here alone with my father. I'll be working a lot."

"It sounds fair," Elena finally choked out, relieved that she wasn't going to spend more time with Giuseppe.

"Good," He ran his hand down her hair softly. "Everything will be different, you'll see," He said, his voice full of hope. "My father won't harm you any longer. And your work will be fun. I'll hire someone to do the housework."

He sighed. "We should go to town, you need a change of clothes, especially for work."

"What about my chores?" Elena asked.

"They can wait. Eat and change. When you're ready, we can go."

* * *

As Damon promised, he took her out to town. Elena was surprised at how good it felt to be so free. Damon had not restrained her. He had not beaten her in the middle of the town square for everyone to see. He spoke to her as if he were speaking to another vampire.

Everywhere they went, eyes were fixated on them. People stopped to talk to Damon, and then they looked at her with disgust. Even though it was common for governors to have slaves, no slave was ever seen without restraints on, or with shopping bags for that matter.

"I can't believe how everybody already knows that I've accepted the position. I haven't even had my first conference yet. Ah…the benefits of small towns."

Elena nodded her head in agreement and followed him as they entered a bar. Confused, Elena froze at the entrance, unsure of what to do.

"Come on, Elena," He encouraged her, but he could see the fear in her eyes. He took her hand gently in his. "We're just getting a burger."

Elena built up the courage to follow him, and Damon immediately found a table for two. With no formalities whatsoever, the owner of the bar came straight toward them.

"Humans can be kept in the first room on the left," The owner said naturally, as if he was speaking about a coat being left in the cloakroom, or a dog kept outside while the owner ate. _Scratch that, _Damon thought mentally, _dogs have better rights than humans in this town._

"I don't think so," Damon said firmly. The owner was about to protest, but someone in the room walked up to him and whispered something in his ear. The owner's face turned red and he started to stammer.

"I'm sorry, governor," The owner said with respect, "I hope I haven't offended you. You and your human can stay. I'll give you the menus."

He moved them to a bigger table and even gave them a wine bottle on the house. Damon knew that everyone would fear him. He had the power to punish others.

Elena sat down, looking at the surroundings, and tightened her arms around herself when she saw everyone staring at her. She just wished that she could block them all out. They all seemed like predators, ready to attack her in seconds.

"The food here's delicious," Damon said when one of the waiters handed them the menus. "I'd choose the Special Burger if I were you. It has a bit of everything. Oh, and the cheesy fries of course," He laughed, closing the menu, attempting to create a light mood. He was going to start work the following day, and he knew that it was going to be difficult, especially since his office was not even ready yet, and Elena had to be around a lot of vampires who clearly despised her. The least he could do was to buy the girl a damn burger.

They had just ordered when Damon felt someone tapping him on the shoulder. He turned around to see Stefan, Tyler, and Matt. Elena's eyes widened and she stiffened, her mind flashing back to the last time she had seen them and the pain they had caused her. They were the kind of friends that turned Damon into a monster. When he was around them, he was different.

"Scoot over, sweetcheeks," Tyler said to her, a smug smile in place. Elena immediately scooted across the bench to make place for him. He got as close to her as possible, to make her as uncomfortable as he could.

Damon bit back a groan as soon as he heard the pet name Tyler had bestowed on Elena. His face hard as stone, he turned his attention on Stefan and Matt.

"Hey," Damon said stiffly, forcing a smile.

"We haven't heard from you in ages, man," Matt told him, his gaze caught on Elena.

"Yeah, not since the brothel thing," Tyler laughed, shouting as much as he possibly could. Damon's face immediately turned red and he quickly fixed his eyes on Elena, who was looking down without uttering a word. He hoped that she had not understood what Tyler just said.

"What do you think, princess?" Tyler turned to face Elena, grabbing her chin roughly to force her to look into his eyes. "Do you think you should lose touch with your friends like that?"

"I, uhm…y-yes, n-no," Elena stammered, feeling uncomfortable.

Tyler laughed in her face and she could smell the strange smell of beer. Damon cleared his throat and looked at Tyler coldly. "Don't touch her."

Tyler's face turned serious as he looked at Damon in surprise, almost expecting the latter to burst into a fit of laughter and telling him that he was kidding. However, Damon remained completely pissed.

"I didn't think it was a big deal," Tyler let go of Elena's chin and the girl scooted closer to the wall. His teeth were clenched together.

Sensing the awkward tension, Matt spoke. "I heard that you signed the contract."

Damon turned around to look at Matt. "Yes, I did. I'm starting work tomorrow."

"Yes, my father told me that they are busy arranging your new office," Stefan said, not even looking at Damon. He seemed distant and cold, but Damon knew exactly why. Even though Stefan had never explicitly said anything out loud, he knew that Stefan wanted the governor position very badly.

"We should totally stay for a pizza," Matt suddenly said, interrupting the conversation. "What do you think, guys? Is it okay for you, Damon?"

Damon wanted nothing more than to ask his friends to go. He did not trust them around Elena, however he could not say anything to piss them off. Even though he was the governor, it was not a good idea to make enemies. After all, he was still a teenager, and he did need friends.

"Sure," He said unwillingly.

Elena stiffened and stayed quiet as the boys all sat down. Matt and Stefan immediately started to talk to Damon, but she could see that Tyler was still pissed. She quickly turned her attention to the window, trying to block him out of her mind. She was deadly afraid of them all, but something in his gaze made her fear him more.

She was brought out of her daydream when she felt something trailing up her legs. Just before she could move uncomfortably, Elena felt a tight pinch on her upper thigh, one that almost made her cry out. From the corner of her eye, she saw Tyler smirking. His hands continued to trail upwards, until they reached her inner thigh, snaking in under her dress, and then he started to touch her…right down there, where Giuseppe did.

Tears were threatening to spill down Elena's cheeks and she wanted to do everything to get Damon's attention, but she was just too scared. She knew that if she spoke, Tyler would rip her apart. He cupped her roughly and continued to play with her, even when she tried to close her legs.

"Can I take your order now?"

Elena breathed out a sigh of relief when she saw the waiter. Tyler stopped from what he was doing and the boys all turned their attention to the waiter. When it was Elena's turn, she willed herself to be strong as she mumbled out her order, trying hard not to cry. Her hands were shaking and she hid them under the table, her face red with humiliation.

"How come you brought the human here?" Tyler spoke, his gaze fixed on Damon's, as if Elena was not present.

"I believe that I should be the one making decisions," Damon said firmly. "Elena's going to be my assistant. You'll be seeing her often."

"I hope that she won't be with you when you are discussing sensitive issues!" Stefan cried out, almost disgusted.

"Again, that's my choice to make," Damon said coolly. "Beers, anyone?"

* * *

When they got home, Elena was so quiet that Damon instantly realised that something was wrong. She had not spoken half a sentence ever since they had left the bar. Her eyes were casted downwards and he could even see a hint of a tear in them.

As soon as they sat down, Damon spoke. "Elena, are you alright?"

"Yes," She lied quickly, too quickly. She remembered Tyler's warning, the sharp pinch.

"You don't seem fine."

"I'm okay Damon, just a bit tired," She lied again.

Damon decided not to push her. Instead, he grabbed the water jug from the fridge and poured a glass for Elena.

"Damon?" Elena asked after a while, her voice shaky.

"Yes, Elena?"

"What Tyler said…" She stammered, "About the brothel. It seemed like a bad thing. What is a brothel?"

She remembered Giuseppe threatening her with it.

Damon's face turned red and the words went dry in his mouth. Elena was asking questions he was not yet ready to answer. However, he knew that he was the only person she could go to.

"It's a bad place, Elena," He told her as honestly as he could. "They make girls like you do things they don't want to do to please men."

Elena looked down. "Things like what?" _Could it be that the girls were suffering what she had suffered under Giuseppe's hands?_

"Bad things," Damon said awkwardly, and then took a deep breath. "They make them strip."

Elena tightened her arms around herself, a tear falling on her cheek.

"It's okay Elena, you're safe here," Damon immediately told her.

"You went to see them," She told him, her voice quiet yet accusing. "You hurt them too, didn't you? The girls?" she braced herself for the answer.

"I went there, Elena, but I didn't do anything…" He promised her, "I came back home. I couldn't hurt anyone."

"But why did you go?" Elena cried out, "Why did you when you knew? Why go in the first place? What is it that makes it so amazing about seeing a girl suffering without her clothes on?"

At that, Damon froze. The way she was speaking almost scared him. Her lack of understanding, her innocence…they all showed that she did not belong in that world with him.

"Elena, there are so many things that you don't understand…" He stammered. What was he to say? That people were lustful creatures? That he too had fantasized about her, in the middle of the night, his hands under the covers?

What was he to do or say? Was he to say that she made him crazy, that he wanted nothing more than to have sex with her? Was he to say, however, that he would not be able to, because she was just too innocent? Who was he to take her virginity from her when she did not even know of such a concept?

"Then tell me," She pleaded. "Please, just explain."

"I…I c-can't," He said, his face flushed. "Elena, I cannot talk about this with you. Please don't push me."

All he wanted to do was pin Elena to the wall and kiss her, and show her what romance seemed like without using any words. She was young, even younger at heart. She should not have had to ask about a dirty brothel first. She was supposed to learn about love, about companionship. Not about abuse.

Yet, even in all of this, his desire for her was growing stronger. He had his own needs, and he knew that sooner or later, he was going to have to satisfy them. He could not use Elena like that, and his frustration was becoming even bigger.

He needed to go to a brothel again, to a vampire one, where the women there were working because they wanted to, not because they were forced.

He needed a distraction.


	27. Chapter 27

Would like to thank my beta throughmysoul44 for editing this super quickly!

Enjoy!

* * *

Damon slipped his black leather jacket on before stashing a wad of money into his jean pocket. Nerves tight as drum, he styled his messy hair until it looked presentable enough.

It was just after midnight and the house was quiet. Giuseppe was only God knows where and Elena had gone to bed a few hours earlier. Not that he was complaining, because he had time to prepare himself.

After spraying his favourite Eau de toilette and inspecting his face for the hundredth time, Damon headed outside, opting to use his vampire speed instead of his father's car. He knew that due to his career, he'll probably start to be driven around soon, with bodyguards and paparazzi around, and it felt nice to be able to be independent for a while.

What he was about to do made him feel strange. He had always thought that sex for him would be natural. After all, that is what everyone said, that sex was a natural process and that he had nothing to be ashamed of. Yet somehow, what he was going to do, while craving it, made him feel dirty. Maybe it was because he was going to have his first time in a brothel. Maybe it was because of his mother's good teachings. But still, he was a vampire. He could only hold the beast inside for so long. He felt the need to do it, or otherwise, he would have to go after who he really wanted.

And he did not want that for her.

Elena was pure. He did not want to taint her with his darkness.

The vampires in the brothel, on the other hand…

_No, _he thought to himself, _I have nothing to be ashamed of. The women there were more than willing. _

He did not know how he arrived, because due to his lost thoughts, his legs almost automatically carried him there. Much like the human brothel, the place was dark, and it gave the feeling of some kind of dangerous lair. His heart beating fast and his forehead glittering with perspiration, he managed to pay the entrance fee, which was more expensive than he thought before being greeted with an ice-cold glass of blood mixed with a strong drink. Damon was sure that it was scotch, and he downed it in seconds, surprised at how good it tasted.

Wanting nothing more to loosen up and relax, he ordered two more. By the time he dragged himself to the stage where three women were dancing, he was shaking, but not even close to being completely out of it.

One of the women, who seemed to be in her early twenties, crouched in front of him, her legs open, almost kneeling but not quite. She raised his hands and put them on her right breast, and Damon let out a gasp at the sensation.

"Aren't you going to give me a tip?" She asked him seductively, and without second thought, Damon pushed a ten dollar tip into the top of her bra. She turned around with a smile, her ass wiggling, her hips moving in a large circle, teasing him.

"Want to join me?" She asked him again, "I'll give you the best night of your life."

The girl laughed seductively, turning around to give him a full view of her ass, and then she started to slide her hands down the pole. Using her vampire speed, she made it to the top and then suspended herself mid-air, her legs wide open, before crawling towards Damon, who had remained speechless the entire time.

"Yes," He finally choked out, a blush forming on his cheeks, his jeans painfully tight. The girl smirked, offered him her hand and soon, they disappeared backstage.

She pinned Damon to the closest wall and kissed him hungrily. Even though it was not the first time kissing someone, since he had gone on a few dates, her kiss surprised him. It was almost animalistic. Her fangs bit into his lips, and her hands snaked under his hair almost painfully.

"Wait," He managed to breathe out in between kisses, "I want this done on a bed."

At that, the girl stopped dead. "Why?"

"Not like this," He said, his back pressed up against the wall.

The girl's light green eyes pierced his and he could see the confusion in them. He touched her auburn hair delicately, running his hands down her waves, and then he smiled at her. "I want it to be special."

She remained frozen for a few minutes but eventually let out a laugh that made Damon's blood run cold. "Special?" The prostitute laughed harder, "Where the hell do you think you are, boy? In a Disney movie?"

At that, Damon felt completely humiliated. He started to stammer. "I…n-no-"

"Let me repeat the basics," The girl said, "This is a brothel. You paid a good deal of money for a fuck. No strings attached, no emotions involved. This is simply a business. I'll pleasure you for the night, and then you leave. If you want to do it again, you come back tomorrow night and pay again. So that's what this is. A business. A fuck."

She sighed, watching the expression on his face. "But if you won't take me against this wall, then I suppose we can go to a bedroom."

Damon followed without a word. He was angry at her for making him feel like he didn't know anything and the urge to lose his virginity was getting even stronger. He was tired of feeling like a boy. He wanted to become a man.

Still, the second he was led in the bedroom, his insecurities got the best of him again. As soon as she pinned him to the bed and started to kiss and bite him with her fangs, pulling at his nipple and drawing blood, he realised that he did not have the slightest idea of what he should do. He moaned as the woman kissed down his chest hungrily and then tore his pants, boxers with them, off. He squirmed uncomfortably when she gave him a light tug and the woman stopped.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" She asked him, annoyed.

Damon's face grew hotter. "I…I…"

"Let me guess, you're cheating on your girlfriend," She said. "Don't worry about that, honey. Men do that all the time. Stop moving and enjoy it…I can guarantee that I'm one thousand times better than your girlfriend. You want me…you're so hard for me. And you're huge…" She smirked, turning her attention back to him.

His face grew hotter again and the girl noticed. She was about to be annoyed again when suddenly, her face turned into that of disgust. "Oh my God, you're a virgin, aren't you?"

Feeling like an imbecile, Damon could not decide if he should nod his head or shake his head.

"You are!" She exclaimed as if it were a grave sin. "Aren't you like twenty?"

"Nineteen," He dead-panned.

"Oh, God," She rolled her eyes. "Why does it always have to be me?" She tsked underneath her breath and then turned her attention to him. "Whatever, boy. Let's get this over with, I have more customers tonight. Help me strip."

* * *

Elena awoke with a start, hearing the front door close with so much force that the house shook. Not long after, she heard Giuseppe laughing with someone, drunken laughter, and then a woman's voice.

"Shhhh…" The woman was saying, swaying from wall to wall, "Is your son heeeereeee?"

"Who cares," Elena heard Giuseppe say, and then she heard a few moans. Fearing for her life, Elena sunk underneath the covers, trying hard to fake being asleep, thankful that the door was closed so that she would not have to see anything she did not like. The footsteps eventually became closer and Elena held onto the sheets for dear life, squeezing her eyes shut.

To her relief, she heard them both walk away from her bedroom door. She remained frozen, almost afraid that if she made a move, Giuseppe would come running to her room. After a few seconds, she heard noises.

Strange noises. Moans.

And the sound of someone running another person to a hard piece of furniture, like a wardrobe. The moans became even louder after that.

Elena put her hands to her ears and prayed that everything would stop. It was the same sound Giuseppe made when he got on top of her. Only this time, he was not the only one moaning.

_Just stop, _Elena pleaded. She could not take it any longer.

* * *

Damon's hands shook the whole time he undressed her. Sweat formed on his forehead, agitated. He was afraid that the woman found him repulsive and he was starting to get even more uncomfortable, especially when she did not say a word.

"What's your name?" He choked out as the woman pinned him to the bed with supernatural speed. She started to kiss all over his chest, moving down slowly.

"Harper," She told him in between kisses, "But you can call me anything you want. I can pretend to be anyone you like as we fuck."

"My name is…"

"I don't care," Harper cut him off. "We're not here for small talk." She kissed him again, her hands moving down until she cupped him in her hand, this time stroking him. Damon let out a moan.

"You so need me…" She whispered to him, "More than you think."

* * *

Hours seemed to have passed before the moaning stopped. Unable to sleep, Elena laid in her bed, staring at the ceiling, tears in her eyes. The sounds were so upsetting to her that she could not get them out of her head. Everything that had happened was a reminder of what Giuseppe had done to her and what he could still do. As long as she was living in the Salvatore house, she was not safe. Even with Damon around.

She wondered if he had heard them as well, or if he was sound asleep. If he were, she was jealous. She wished that she had slept as Giuseppe enjoyed his night. It would have been simpler. In that world, Elena knew that being ignorant was the best solution. She would rather not know what was going on in those four walls.

Elena's breath caught in her throat when she heard Giuseppe walking towards her bedroom again. She closed her eyes , pretending to be asleep, but her heart started to beat fast against her chest when she heard the door open slightly. Opening her eyes slightly, she saw how he carried himself in a superior manner even when he was drunk. She felt him sit on her bed and then she felt his mouth brushing against her ear.

"Elena, I know you're awake," He told her tauntingly, "I can hear the way your heart is beating faster than usual. You're scared and you're right to be."

He turned the lamp on as Elena had no choice but to wake.

"That's better," He said, kissing her on the mouth.

"What do you want?" She pleaded. She could not do it. Not tonight.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to have you tonight. Another person satisfied me." Giuseppe said, "But sometimes, we all seem to forget that you have another purpose here. That is to feed us."

"Please, sir, I…"

"Damon will never know," He assured her, pinning her down with his body. "Darla!"

Another vampire, fully naked, appeared by Elena's side. Elena's face turned red in humiliation and she angled her head to the side to stop seeing that horrible sight. Giuseppe laughed, squeezing her cheeks.

"So innocent…" He told her, "It makes your blood even better."

He bit her neck, his fangs sinking in, the same time Darla put Elena's wrist in her mouth.

"Please…stop…." She whispered faintly at the sting.

* * *

"Don't stop," Damon's hands snaked into the woman's hair, pulling on it. Sweat was forming on his forehead and he felt lost in a pure ectasy. He cried out as her hands continued to rub him harder and faster, but she stopped before his release. She could have easily finished the job, but she turned to him with a smirk on her face.

"Where would be the fun in that?" She asked him and he groaned, pissed. It was not fair that he had just been teased like that.

"Get on top of me…" She commanded him, her tone indicating that she was in charge despite the fact that he was the one paying her. Damon did not really mind, though, after all he had no idea of what should be done next.

"Like this?" He asked her awkwardly, positioning himself on top of her.

The prostitute rolled her eyes. "I'm so going to kill the person who suggested that you'd come to this brothel. Yes, like that!" She complained, making Damon feel even worse.

He took a deep breath, placing himself at her entrance. She groaned impatiently. "Just slide into me already!"

Damon thrust his hips forward, entering her with one gentle stroke. He looked at the woman who seemed bored, and then he built up the courage to start moving inside her.

"Do I look like a frail virgin to you?" She asked him, annoyed. "Faster."

Blushing, Damon picked up his pace, finally enjoying the experience which so far had only been awkward. He felt her inner walls closing around him to accommodate him, and he stifled a growl.

The woman grabbed him, using her vampire speed, and in a moment, she was on top of him, pleasuring him in ways that he had never imagined. He forgot everything then, his career, his mother's teachings…even Elena.

Sinning had never been more beautiful.

* * *

"Her blood is delicious," Darla told Giuseppe as she wiped her mouth. "So this is the girl you just lost, then?"

"I didn't lose anyone," Giuseppe snarled at her. "She belongs to me as much as she belongs to my son."

"You lost your legal right," She pointed out, "I believe that means you've lost everything."

"Fuck the law," Giuseppe grabbed Darla's face and kissed her hungrily. "We got to enjoy fresh blood straight from the vein. The fact that she's attractive is even more of a bonus, so don't complain."

"I'm not complaining," Darla smirked, turning to look at Elena. The girl was frozen on the left side of the bed, blood pouring out of her neck and wrist.

"She really is pretty," Darla said, a hint of jealousy in her voice. "Maybe she should join us in bed sometime. I wouldn't mind. You know I have a thing for women as well."

"Oh, trust me…I do," Giuseppe smirked at her. "It would be interesting."

"I mean, seriously…" Darla moved closer to Elena and she ran his hand down her hair. "For a human, she's gorgeous."

"Okay, hands off," Giuseppe commanded, and Darla raised her hands in defeat.

"Where the hell is your son, anyway? It's not wise of him to leave her alone with you."

"Who knows?" Giuseppe said, turning to Elena himself. He sat by her legs and raised the dress upwards, focused on what he was doing.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going to have one last drink before I heal her and make her shut her mouth," Giuseppe grinned, putting his mouth on her inner thigh. He bit down, hard, and Elena let out a scream.

"You just ate." Darla said, rolling her eyes.

He only shrugged, drinking for more than two seconds as Elena tried desperately to fight him off as he chewed on that intimate area of her thighs.

"There, there," He cooed as if he were talking to a baby, biting into his wrist before feeding it to Elena. "Drink up, sweetie. You'll be good as new."

Elena gagged but she had no choice. She had to swallow that rust-tasting blood because she knew that Giuseppe would not take 'no' for an answer. Her wounds began to close and she cried, wrapping her arms around herself.

"You're not going to tell Damon about it, but you're going to remember every second of it," He hissed cruelly, grabbing her from her shoulders. "Now you can go to bed."

* * *

"That was amazing," Damon sat up, catching his breath.

Harper smirked at him. "I told you that I'm good. Satisfied?"

"Very," He said, his hands running all over her body.

"So what made you come here?" Harper asked him curiously. "Aren't you Giuseppe's kid? The governor?"

"Former governor," Damon smirked.

"Former?"

"I'm the governor now."

The prostitute froze and for a minute Damon enjoyed seeing the shame in her eyes at the realization that she had been making fun of the _governor _all night.

"I had no idea," She finally stammered.

"I know," He smirked, making her more uncomfortable. "But…to answer your question, I came here because I was angry and bothered."

"Angry?"

"You see, there's this girl I really wanted to do this with, but due to my moral issues, I couldn't. I don't have a girlfriend, so I decided to come here."

"You're a vampire. We can turn it off, you know," She told him. "You could've just taken her regardless."

"I'm not that kind of person. And I haven't been a vampire for very long."

"This girl…" Harper said, "She's human, isn't she?"

"Yes," He said.

"I get it now," Harper said after a few minutes of silence. "I realised that you were a confused young man the second you walked in. I get why. But let me give you some advice. Those kind of relationships never work. The only thing that girl could ever be to you is either a one-night-stand or a pet. Or both. But not your lover."

Damon chewed on his lip without uttering a single word. Sighing, he stood up and started to put his clothes on.

"I don't think you're in a position to give me advice." He threw a fifty dollar tip on her bed and walked out without looking back.

But that is what truly scared Damon because, well, half of him believed her.

* * *

**Don't worry though, only HALF of him believed her ;)**

**So, Damon has lost his V-card. Don't worry, I wanted him to do it with Elena as well, but right now, Damon is noble. He thinks that he shouldn't 'taint' Elena's innocence. However, Damon's also a vampire. His needs are even more intensified. There is still that animalistic side of him that he cannot really control (Not only sexually, of course).**

**This chapter was difficult to write. As you can see, I tried hard to contrast between Damon's obvious care and kindness and the cold hearted girl. For him, it was supposed to be special, but the girl showed him another side of the world that he is still yet to discover. Right now, despite his dark moments, Damon's still innocent. He's unaware of the abuse Elena's been going through...all despite the fact that Damon KNOWS that his father lied to him about his mother's death. I try to think of it as a constant battle, one where Damon keeps telling himself that his father will change. **

**I hope you enjoyed it. **

**Please review**


	28. Chapter 28

**IMPORTANT AN: My beta reader throughmysoul44 cannot beta my stories anymore. She has started college, a new chapter in her life. Thanks for everything Ren, I'm grateful for your help!**

**This chapter is not edited. That being said; I need a new beta. I would prefer it if it's one of my readers, so I thought I'd post this here in case you're interested. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Elena watched as the large, glowing sphere slowly rose into the dull morning sky. She watched as sunbeams were cast in different directions, the sky more radiant as it climbed higher and higher up the sky with grace.

She hadn't slept all night, which was weird, because she was certain that Giuseppe had compelled her to. It was like her body was still, after all, stronger than Giuseppe's compulsion, able to make decisions on its own. She felt completely restless despite the pain and the blood loss, but then again, she knew that vampire blood healed quickly and completely.

The alarm clock went off and Elena immediately withdrew from the window to quickly turn it off; not wanting to wake everyone up and piss Giuseppe off. She hoped that Giuseppe was gone because if he were, she could at least have breakfast and relax before she would have to start her day.

Damon was supposed to take her to the office that morning. That's what he had decided, and she was happy about it. At least, she'd be safe around him. She could work in the offices, cleaning and maybe some filing, as Damon had said. It wasn't going to be so bad compared to the harsh chores Giuseppe made her do.

At least, that was what she was hoping.

Putting the slave's dress on in case Giuseppe and his companion decided to stay, she headed to the kitchen to do the normal chores which were required of her. She made sure to wax the floors, do the remaining dishes and even clean out the fridge. When she was done, she headed to Giuseppe's room, sighing in relief when she noticed that the bed was empty.

She vacuumed and dusted; stopping when she saw a reflection of herself in the mirror. It surprised her, how much she had changed. How much her body was changing. Sometimes, she could barely even recognise herself. Her eyes focused on her neck. No mark had remained from Giuseppe's violent attack on her, not even on her inner thighs.

Elena gathered the dirty laundry, closed the door behind her and started to head to the laundry room; only to be stopped by Damon's voice.

"Good morning, Elena," He said. He looked different somehow, but Elena couldn't figure out the why and how.

"Damon," She acknowledged. His eyes seemed sad, and Elena couldn't help it. "Are you okay, Sir?"

"Damon…" He mumbled. "Just Damon."

_The only thing that girl could ever be to you is either a one-night-stand or a pet. _That sentence had been haunting him for hours. After the brothel, he didn't even want to head home. The perks of being a vampire were that he didn't really need sleep. He used that time to think, but it got him nowhere. What was there to think about? He had feelings for Elena, but due to his moral issues, he couldn't have her.

But then there she was, looking pretty even in her slave's dress, even after she had just cleaned his house, she looked young, energetic. Even beautiful. Her hair looked like it was made of silk. He couldn't help but touch it.

"Elena…" He told her, a lump forming in his throat. The guilt was killing him. He had been so happy the night before, as he fucked that girl. But facing Elena…It reminded him of how badly he wanted to sleep with _her. _Not a random stranger, _her. _In a way, he felt as if he was betraying Elena, which was odd since they weren't together and she probably didn't even have feelings for him. How could she, after all?

"Damon, you're worrying me," Elena said after a while. He looked as if he was about to cry. She had never seen him so confused. Even his physical appearance looked so wrecked. His hair was a mess. His clothes were careless.

He looked at her at that. "You worry about me, Elena?" He asked her, his hands raising to cup her face. "About _me_?"

Elena didn't know what to say. Her breath caught in her throat. "Yes," She finally managed to nod. "Yes, Damon, I worry about you."

"Why?" He asked her. She could hear the pain and sincerity in his voice.

"I just do," She said, a tear threatening to spill down her cheek. Hell, she didn't want to care about him. But something in her made her do so. Maybe it was because of their childhood friendship, or maybe because he had gone through hell as well.

_Guilt, guilt is all I feel, _Damon thought to himself. The girl he desperately cared about was the same girl that he had hurt so much, and that he had to avoid. But how could he? In all those years, he dated. But he could never feel anything for anyone except Elena. And the fact that he couldn't have her was driving him insane and frustrated. It was at times like those where he wished that he had no morals, that he could just take whatever he wanted without excuse and apology. But he knew better than that, and mostly, he wanted Elena to want him.

His hands reached out to cup her chin, forcing her head up to look at him. He saw her eyes glitter with unshed tears; and it tore him apart. The beautiful girl was crying for _him _when he was not worthy of her tears.

"Oh, Elena," He told her, moving closer to her. He stroked her face gently before touching her soft lips with his finger carefully, as if he was touching a delicate flower.

"Damon…" Elena said nervously, "What are you doing?"

"What I should have done ages ago," He leaned in, giving her every opportunity to pull away before crashing his lips down to hers. It started slowly, softly, until Elena's kiss became more agreeable. Soon, he was kissing her hungrily, as if he was trying to make up for the time they had lost. Elena moaned despite of herself, as Damon peppered her face and neck with kisses.

He finally pulled away, leaving Elena breathless, and smiled down at her. "You deserve more for your first kiss."

At that, Elena's face hardened. She couldn't tell him that it wasn't her first kiss, that Giuseppe had done that for so long she couldn't really remember. But the compulsion the monster had placed on her made sure that everything she had experienced was going to be kept a secret.

Damon realised her change in demeanor and pulled away. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Elena said, forcing a smile. "I'm just afraid. Your father-"

"He cannot tell me what to do anymore," He kissed her forehead. "It's up to you now, Elena."

Elena remained frozen. She could still feel Damon's lips on hers and it confused her. When he kissed her, it created sensations inside of her that she couldn't really explain. She felt warmth spreading in her lower body and a blush forming on her face. She didn't know the meaning of such a thing, yet she knew that it made her feel good.

Damon was still closer to her than ever, and his words kept echoing inside her head. _It's up to you now, Elena. _What was the meaning of having a choice in all of this? Giuseppe never gave her a choice. He just kissed her and touched her without her permission. Damon was not doing the same thing. He was letting her _choose._

_A choice, _Elena thought silently. What would it mean, if she chose to let him kiss her? If she let him be close to her? Would he want to do the same thing Giuseppe was doing? How could an act like that ever be painless? Was he just tricking her?

Damon cleared his throat, sensing the hesitation radiating off Elena. "You should probably get ready. We have to go to the office soon."

* * *

It didn't take too long for Elena to put some casual clothes on. Damon had insisted that despite the fact that she was going to be working in a vampire-government agency, he was still keeping his promise. She did not have to wear any slave clothing. The only thing he had ordered her to do was to stay close to him, something that Elena planned to do regardless.

A limousine was already waiting for Damon by the gate that led to the luxurious Salvatore mansion. Taken by surprise as he was still not used to the five star treatment, Damon remained frozen looking at the chauffeur. He knew that it was bound to happen, but he didn't realise that his 'governor' privileges were already given.

"Already?" Damon asked Elena rhetorically, looking at the luxurious car.

"Sir," The chauffeur, a vampire, greeted him with respect and opened the car door for him. "Should I make the slave walk, sir?"

Damon had to swallow down his anger. "No. She'll sit next to me."

"Sir, she doesn't deserve to be granted the same privileges as you," The man said, looking horrified.

"I believe it is up to me," Damon said firmly. At that, the man apologised and returned to the driver's seat without another word.

Elena got in and sat down without a word. Over the years, it had become easier to accept that in the vampire society she will always be degraded. But still, it didn't mean that she was emotionless. Every word still felt like a stab in the heart.

The drive was long, because Damon was driven around the town. He didn't even know how famous he had gotten already, because people were waiting for him in the square, waving at him like he was a celebrity. Considering that he had only recently become a governor, the gestures surprised him.

When the car finally stopped in front of a luxurious, modern high building, Elena knew that it was time to get familiar with the place in which she was going to spend most of her time. As soon as they entered the offices, they were greeted with a smell of lavender. The tiles were so clean that Elena could almost see her own reflection, and everywhere was decorated with plants and flowers. Hadn't Elena known better, she could've easily mistaken the building for a human one. It was clear that the vampires there took their work seriously.

"Governor Salvatore. What an honour it is to address you this way." A man, looking like he was in his early thirties, came forward and shook Damon's hand firmly. "I've worked a lot with your father throughout the decades. I hope that you'll find my advice and service useful."

Damon shook his hand, smiling politely.

"My name is Elijah Mikaelson," He told him, taking a step back so that he could see the girl who seemed to be hiding behind Damon. Damon could see the curiousity in the man's eyes but then realization hit in.

"Oh," Elijah said, taking a few steps forward. "You must be the human girl who will be working here."

At that, Elena looked at Damon in confusion. Whenever she met new vampires, they always referred to her as 'the slave', 'the two legged blood bag', and every other demeaning name under the sun. Elijah, on the other hand, was polite enough. He extended his hand.

"Elijah Mikaelson," He told her, shaking her hand, another new concept to Elena.

"Elena Gilbert," The girl squeaked.

Elijah smiled in greeting. "It's an honour to have you here, Mister Salvatore. Your office is finally ready. I'm sure that the rest of us are looking forward to work under your lead. Your father left a vast selection of open cases, so I'm sure that you can find one to work on."

"Yes, I know," Damon said assertively, not wanting to look like he had no idea of how things went in the office even though he was feeling out of place. It was weird, because he had been to the offices plenty of times and he had seen the various departments, cases and procedures, but he seemed to blank out.

"Good. I hope that you'll find everything to your liking. If there are any inquiries, feel free to call me." Elijah stopped in front of a glass elevator. Like the rest of the building, it was high class. There was an expensive-looking chandelier, and it was painted in a golden brown colour. The mirror was even decorated with gold.

"The elevator will take you straight to your office. It is the only thing there is up there. Basically, you have the eighth floor all to yourself. Will Elena be staying with you?"

"Yes," Damon said firmly.

"Okay then. I'll let you settle in."

Damon thanked him and Elena walked in timidly behind him, watching in awe. No words were spoken as they slowly arrived on the eighth floor. Like Elijah had said, the only thing on that floor was the new Governor's office.

"It's more than spacious," Damon commented as soon as he opened the majestic, stained-glass door. It had the Salvatore crest as well as the agency's, which was that of a cross two diagonal swords, the symbol of vampirism. It was in the colour of blood and coal black.

"What are these symbols?" Elena asked, looking at the stained glass.

"Vampire symbols," Damon said, looking at the sigil. "The cross is ironic if anything. Maybe it's still influenced by the crusades, in which people thought that it was okay to kill for religion. The swords…well, we are warriors. At least that's what my ancestors think. Today, I doubt it, except in towns like these where we coexist with humans. In other countries, it's quite simple. The vampire is the predator, everything else is just the prey. I doubt there's any vampire in Europe who thinks of himself as a warrior."

"What do you mean?" Elena asked, "Are you saying that there are countries out there who do not know that vampires exist?"

"Yes," Damon breathed out. "No governors, no organisations…nothing. Except maybe a few vampire hunters. Definitely not like this."

"Do…" Elena stammered, "Do they know that humans are being enslaved?"

Suddenly thinking that it would be wise not to say anything, Damon stopped. "Let's not talk about this, Elena. I don't want to say things that we might both regret."

"Damon…"

"Drop it, Elena," He said, his voice louder. She raised her shoulders, intimidated. It had been a while since she had heard him raise his voice at her.

"Look, there are things you don't know," He said, his tone quieter, regretting scaring her almost immediately. "And I want to keep it that way."

"What about what I want?" She whimpered under her breath. She knew that she was taking a risk, talking to him like that, but she had to. She needed to see if he cared enough not to hurt her, even if she was being reckless.

To her relief, no hurtful words came from his mouth. He didn't tell her to shut up and remember her place there. Instead, he just quieted. "It's for your safety." He said, and Elena decided not to push him.

"Elena, I don't want us to fight," He walked towards her and cupped her face firmly. "I know, it seems selfish and to be honest, it is. But I can give you anything you want. Anything within reason," He clarified, "I'm sorry that you were brought here and I know that you will always put the human race first. But you live in a vampire society now, and that isn't going to change. I care about you, let me make your life easier. You will be happy, with me." He grabbed her hand and held it in his. "I will never hurt you. I will keep you safe and will do my best to protect your race as well. Is that fair?"

"That's fair," Elena choked out.

"Good," He stroked her face gently. "I understand that a part of you will always see me as a monster. I just hope that there's another part of you that remembers clearly how real our friendship was when we were children. And I also hope that there's a part of you that knows that wants me, and that the kiss we shared is special."

It was contradictory and he knew it, but he had to keep hoping. Hoping that Elena cared enough to forgive him and accept her improved life within the vampire society.

He let go of her and cleared his throat, turning to face the other way. The office was enormous and modern. The majority of the furniture was white, the only exceptions being the plants, chairs and the dark wooden flooring. The glass windows were large, and half the town could be seen. There was even a stereo playing soft music, a small refrigerator, a couch, as well as two spacious desks.

"It's beautiful up here," Damon said, looking through the window, the cars looking like ants from where he was standing. "And quiet. Good thing we're not using the same floor."

Elena didn't say anything, and Damon quickly turned to face her. "We have a busy first day today."

"What do you need me to do?" She asked him.

"Well…" Damon said, scratching his neck, "I'm going to need help filing for sure. There are a lot of cases, some open, some closed." He stopped for a moment, suddenly realising something. "Elena, do you know how to read?"

"Yes. I went to school for four years before I was brought here," She replied. "And I continued to read and write when I had some free time."

Damon nodded in understanding. "Very wise of you."

Elena gave him a half smile. "Okay then, I can help with the files."

* * *

Hours passed by quickly, because as Damon had said, it was really a busy day. Despite the fact that Damon couldn't find one good thing to say about his father, he couldn't say that his father wasn't a good Governor. He took the cases seriously, and they differed. However he noticed that most of the cases Giuseppe was working on were all about violence. There were at least thirty thick files about plans and ideas to bring more human slaves into town. There were also a couple of files about new laws concerning human slaves, laws which intended to make the humans suffer even more. There were also a few cases against vampires, and others describing vampire-strategic plans.

Damon's head was spinning. The more he read, the more he realised that he couldn't be the one to put his father's plans in action, not when they would bring more death and suffering for both vampires and humans.

Elena was watching him like a hawk. He knew that she had read most of the files as well, and he could imagine what was going on through her head.

"We should stop," Damon said suddenly, wanting to break the awkward tension between them. "Maybe we can go downstairs and have a coffee."

Elena nodded and hurried behind him, nerves tight as drum. She wasn't keen on the idea of staying in a room filled with important members of the vampire society, but she had to bite her tongue and hope that Damon's protection would be enough.

The second she stepped out of the elevator, she felt everyone's eyes on her. She heard them whispering, some laughing, some throwing dirty looks at her direction. No one dared to touch her though, and that made her feel relief.

What suddenly made her freeze on the spot was the auburn-haired girl sitting on one of the vampires' laps. The man was drinking from her, and the girl wasn't even screaming. Tears just rolled down her cheek as he sucked hard, and when he was done he tossed her to a colleague.

"Want a drink, Governor Salvatore?" The other man said, standing up out of respect as soon as Damon walked in.

"No, thank you," Damon said, feeling Elena stiffen beside him. "I didn't know that humans are allowed here—for drinking purposes, I mean," He added quickly.

"Yes, why shouldn't they be?" The man licked his lips. "We need a lunch break, after all." He laughed it off and Damon forced a smile, though he could see that Elena looked disgusted.

"Any chance we get to taste the new girl?" Another man said, sipping on what seemed to be a blood bag.

"Remember your place here, Charles," A voice was heard and Elena saw Elijah step in. "The girl's with our Governor, I think that it is up to him. If I'm not mistaken, she's not dinner."

Elijah then turned to the man who was still sucking on the girl's neck. "And I thought that we were clear about the not feeding on this floor part. There's a room there for a reason."

Damon cleared his throat and built enough courage to finally speak with authority.

"No," He told them in a loud voice. "I don't want you to feed on humans in this building."

Damon could hear everyone gasp and eyes fill with horror, almost as if he had deprived them of a God-given right.

"You can't do this." The man threw the girl down and stepped forward.

"Klaus," Elijah said in a warning tone.

"Yes, I can," Damon told him, keeping the same tone. "We are here to work. There are bloodbags in the freezer, make use of those."

Vaughn muttered something underneath his breath and Damon stood up straighter. "Things will be changing around here, so I hope that you will be ready to work with me."

He turned to Elena, who gave him a grateful smile.

Damon smirked, pouring a glass of scotch casually. "Scotch, anyone?" He asked, leaving everyone in the room speechless as he raised it to his lips.

He didn't notice that Klaus's green eyes were suddenly filled with hatred and evil, and that his knuckles were white.

_Very bad start, Governor Salvatore, _Klaus said underneath his breath. _Bad start indeed._

* * *

** As you can see, Damon at first was a bit scared and definitely not full of authority. However, he has decided to take matters into his own hands for Elena's sake, but naturally, he has already made a few enemies.**

**Please like my facebook page livebreathevampires fanfiction for photos connected with this chapter. I'll be uploading a picture of Damon's office and the vampire sigil.**

**Thanks for reading!**


	29. Chapter 29

**Would like to thank my beta readers ****Virginia Herondale-****Raffaeli and** ** ChloeAbha for their help on this chapter! Thank you so much for the corrections as well as opinions which help me improve.**

**Thank you for reviewing!**

* * *

Weeks passed, and the more Damon and Elena settled in, the more projects Damon had to work on. Even though Damon had hundreds of people helping him, he was the one who had to make decisions. Elena could barely keep up with the files and Damon was often either irritated or agitated.

"This is overwhelming," Damon complained that day. It was his sixth week and yet he felt like he had been working there for centuries. The cases never stopped and demands increased. It hadn't been a good year for the vampire race, especially with new weapons designed by humans. It was an endless war, one which Damon didn't really want to be a part of.

He hadn't gotten any further with Elena than a few kisses every now and then. Whenever he attempted to touch her, Elena would flinch back. He knew that it wasn't easy for her, and he hoped that the girl wouldn't grow to hate him. The majority of the files always mentioned cases which favoured vampires, and it wasn't the first time that Damon had to impose new rules which were not really favourable to humans.

_It's kill or be killed, _he'd say to himself. Elena had caught him saying that once, and even though she hadn't said anything back then he knew that it certainly didn't please her. He had come up with the conclusion that Elena wasn't certain of her feelings for him. After all, how could Elena possibly feel safe knowing that she was the _only _human he was protecting? She knew that he was condemning other humans to a life of misery and suffering, especially when he had to allow vampire smugglers to smuggle about fifty new human slaves in town. He could have stopped it, but he didn't.

Elena's attention was fixed on the paperwork, working in silence. Lately, she had been feeling better. With less time spent at the Salvatore mansion and more time at work, she felt recovered. Not that work wasn't emotionally exhausting, because it wasn't easy working with vampires _against _her own race, but at least it was better than the beatings and the abuse.

Damon had been acting a bit strange towards her. They had kissed several times, but he had been careful with her, as if she was made of glass. It seemed like he was afraid to kiss her passionately, to try to touch her again. Not that she blamed him, because she had freaked out the first time he had done that.

She didn't notice him coming up behind her until she felt his hands on her shoulders. She turned around swiftly, a bit startled, but relaxed when he massaged the sensitive spot between her shoulder and neck.

"Are you tired? Do you want to stop? You've been working for hours."

"It's okay, I don't mind." Elena replied. "Are _you _okay? You seem exhausted."

"Well, it's taking its toll on me," Damon admitted. "It's more than what I imagined. The good thing is that at least we're settled in. I _know _the job—at least, the important stuff." He sighed. "What about you? I saw you speaking to Elijah the other day. Is something wrong?"

"No, not at all," Elena said. "I think it's safe to say that except from you, he's the only one who treats me humanely."

"What?" Damon asked her, "Who has been treating you poorly?"

"It's not like they feed on me or hurt me," Elena quickly added. "They just…treat me like a dog. Even the way they speak to me, obviously I'm inferior to them. Elijah doesn't. He actually speaks to me with respect."

"Elijah is an honourable man," Damon commented. "Of course, his duty has always been to the vampire race, but I had never once seen him mistreat a human being."

Elena nodded her head. "Unlike Klaus."

At that, Damon's eyes widened and his face hardened. "Did he-"

"No," Elena interrupted quickly. "No one has touched me, Damon. At least physically. But he scares me. Sometimes, the way he looks at me…" She couldn't say the next few words. She was going to say that the way he looked at her reminded her of Giuseppe's glance, but the compulsion was strong.

"The way he looks at me makes me feel uncomfortable," She said at last.

"Elena, I will take care of you," Damon promised her. "I'm glad that you told me."

"I don't want you to talk to him about it," Elena said quickly, suddenly fearing the fact of making a new enemy. "I just wanted you to know. As I said, he never physically harmed me. I could be just paranoid, after all."

Damon longed to tell her that she wasn't paranoid, that with her beauty she could stun any man, even if—unfortunately—they were villains. He knew Klaus. He had a reputation for using human slaves sexually. He owned about a dozen, all female. However, not wanting to scare her, he said nothing.

"I'll keep an eye on him," He told her, not promising anything. He'd be more than willing to tear the bastard limb to limb if he even dared to lay a finger on Elena.

He saw her visibly relax and with gentle hands, he pulled her up from her chair until she was standing in front of him. Cupping her face firmly but delicately; he lowered his lips down to hers, giving her a small peck. Before he could pull away, Elena wrapped a hand around the back of his head, digging her hand under his hair, and crashed his lips down to hers in a more passionate kiss. At that, Damon growled, his eyes dark with lust. He picked Elena up and sat her on the desk; opening her legs slightly so that he could find a more comfortable position as he kissed her almost animalistically.

Damon could feel the heat radiating off Elena and felt himself harden. Elena gasped, suddenly feeling afraid, and broke the kiss. The way he was kissing her wasn't like their last encounter at all. He seemed to be possessing her mouth, like when Giuseppe kissed her. Those types of kisses scared her—they were nothing like the kisses Prince Philip gave to Aurora.

"I'm sorry," She said, her face red in humiliation. But as soon as she felt him harden against her thigh, all she could think about was Giuseppe and the pain he inflicted on her. Whenever she felt Giuseppe harden, she knew that it meant pain, and even though she didn't know why, she was quickly starting to assume that pain and _that sensation_ were related. She didn't understand why because Damon wasn't being aggressive, but she was starting to come up with the conclusion that men became violent after they hardened. It wasn't like someone had explained to her the biological concepts. Not wanting to humiliate her any further but at the same time wanting answers, Damon took her hand and tried to put the question as simple as possible. "Elena…Do you really know nothing about sex?"

_Sex, _the word pounded over and over in her head. She had heard Giuseppe mention it a couple of times. _Sex is what you're good for, _he'd say. She had never quite understood, though.

She realised that Damon was feeling tense and awkward, and unwillingly _she _started to feel tense and awkward. "No…" She whispered faintly, as if she was saying a bad thing, an incorrect answer. "What does that mean?"

Damon hadn't expected a different answer. Elena had grown up with him and it wasn't like she had a one to one conversation with a parent or at school. Slaves were not meant to be educated. The young slaves didn't even know what was happening to them most of the times they were abused.

He wanted to tell her, but he knew that it wasn't going to easy. He didn't even feel comfortable telling her. It wasn't supposed to be his job to teach her. It was supposed to be her mother's, an adult, anyone…just not him. At the same time, if he never told her, he could never have her. He wasn't ever going to touch Elena until he was sure that she knew—and was comfortable-with what was going on.

"Nothing, just forget it," He heard himself say, the humiliation making him give up. The more he learned about her innocence the more he decided that Elena didn't deserve someone like him. Who was he to taint her? Maybe it would've been much simpler if he just let her go. After all, he couldn't really trust himself around her. For weeks he had been feeling great desire. He knew that it was a part of his vampire nature. Everyone had warned him that the more his 'newborn days' worn off, the greater his desire- both sexually and the desire for blood—would become.

"You should probably have a break," Damon said quickly. He needed a distraction and he needed it fast. "I have to go to a meeting anyway. Take the files with you to Elijah's office."

"Damon, I…"

"Just do it, Elena," He told her, his voice a little rough. "I'll be back as soon as possible."

* * *

"You were too unfocused."

Damon sat up on the bed, pulling up his pants. He put a one hundred dollar bill on the bed as she lit a cigarette up, still naked, but covered by thick blankets.

"You've been coming here often now, Damon. You claim you love her but here you are."

"I pay you for sex, Harper, not for lectures." He zipped up his shirt. "I liked you better when you were a cold, cruel bitch"

"Oh, I still am," Harper inhaled the smoke, relaxing. "I'm just pointing out the obvious."

"Why would you even care?"

"As I said before, I know men." She shrugged and then reached out for the money. Pouting, she turned to him. "What, no tips tonight, dear governor?"

"I won't be coming here anymore," He said, facing her.

"What? Finally taking my advice and admitting your feelings to the human? I mean, all you do when you come here is talk about her and your complex emotional issues." She stopped, smirking. "That, and the good fuck of course, because I have to admit…you've become quite talented. Except for today."

"Don't worry, as I said…you won't be seeing me again. Have a great life, Harper."

Damon disappeared before the girl could even breathe out a sentence.

* * *

Satisfied physically but emotionally wrecked, Damon headed back to the office. He took the opportunity to jog back to work so he could clear his head. He had been sleeping with Harper for weeks, and it was convenient because she was there whenever he needed her. In fact, it was almost like he was taking his aggression and frustration out on her. Only the whore loved it, and because she was a vampire she was experienced. She wasn't fragile or breakable. She was there for his pleasure, as long as he paid her.

However he knew that he had to stop seeing her. He didn't want to become the mockery of town. Whilst it wasn't uncommon for governors to pay a visit to the whorehouse, Damon knew that a man his age could easily get sex in many other ways. After all, he was a teenager. And in his world, teenagers went out to clubs and bars.

Yet Damon also knew that he had to stop seeing Harper because she had become a constant. The more he went to the brothel, the more he shut Elena out. Harper almost served as a distraction and he didn't want that. He had to focus on what was real and work hard to get there.

The guilt was killing him. He didn't even know why, since technically…he and Elena weren't even together. But still, the fact that he had been with someone else made him feel like he was cheating on her. On the other hand, he had _needs. _Strong _needs_.

He needed time to think.

* * *

Elena was sitting uncomfortably in Elijah's office, eating lunch. She found it hard to continue working. Whenever Damon left her alone she felt threatened, as if every worker there was going to hunt her down.

At least Elijah's office was better than the main office. There, she was cut off from the rest of the team.

"Elena." Elijah's polite voice got her out of her trance and she saw him carrying a blood bag, however there was a cup of coffee in the other. He handed her the coffee and smiled.

"Thank you," Elena managed to say, taking the cup and sipping on it quickly. She was so tired, she needed it.

"Managed to do the filing?" Elijah asked her, his smile pleasant enough.

"Yes," She said after a few minutes of hesitation. Building up courage, she continued. "It's getting easier."

"Give it time. My bet is that you'll do better than the majority of the workers here." He chuckled and sat down, turning the computer on.

Elena watched him timidly as he sipped on the bloodbag. After a few minutes, he caught her staring and she felt her face turn red with humiliation.

"I am what I am, Elena," He told her gently.

"I k-know," Elena stammered.

"I don't kill people," He said at last. "Not anymore."

Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion, knowing that the man was the _governor's _very own assistant, she couldn't help but ask, "Why?"

He tensed. "Let's just say that I've built some kind of understanding with humans these past few years. My duty is always towards the vampire race of course, but I certainly didn't agree with how Giuseppe ran this town."

Before Elena could ask anything else, there was a soft knock on the door, and then Klaus entered. He ignored her completely and addressed Elijah. "Sir, you are needed in the boardroom. They need your help with something."

Elijah stood up gracefully, put the chair back in its place and sighed. "Thank you, Niklaus. I have some paperwork I need you to take care of, please sort them and you can take the first fifty to the offices."

Klaus nodded his head, and within a few seconds, Elena was left alone with the vampire. For a while, no words were spoken. Elena just sat there, her body tense, as she ate the last of her peanut butter sandwich. But as soon as she stood up, she found Klaus standing in front of her.

"I don't even know what your purpose here is," Klaus told her with disgust in his eyes. "The only thing that defines you is that little pulsating vein in your neck. Without it, you're all useless."

Deciding to ignore him, Elena attempted to turn away from him and walk out of the room. However, he was quicker. In an instant he was there, standing betweeen her and the door, her only way of escaping him. He stared her up and down, looking at her as if she were only a toy, or something to eat, the same way a hungry cat looks at a mouse before pouncing on it.

"Damon's weak. If it were up to me, you'd be sent to the whorehouse."

At that, he took the files and left, leaving Elena alone with angry tears in her eyes. She felt like she had no way of escaping the torture all those monsters were putting her through. Somehow she knew that someone like Klaus wasn't just going to let her work there in peace, he was going to make her life a living hell, exactly like Giuseppe used to. They were far too alike.

* * *

When Damon returned to the office, it was well after six pm. Everyone had left except for Elijah and Elena, and when Damon stepped in the room he felt a kind of serenity he had never felt before; not even at home.

"You can go home Elijah, we're done for today," He told Elijah after a while, "Elena and I will be leaving soon. I just need to finish some work."

"Are you sure, Sir?"

"Yes. Thank you for your time," Damon assured him, and Elijah left after a polite goodbye.

"What do you want me to do, Damon?" Elena asked him, her attention focused on the photocopier. "Should I photocopy these?"

"No. We're not working anymore tonight." He moved closer to her, his steps slow, his eyes friendly.

"But I thought…"

"I want us to be _close_," Damon said, choosing the words carefully, reaching out to hold her hands in his.

The confusion was evident on Elena's face. "We're already close, Damon."

"No…yes," He said, unsure of how he could explain what he really meant. Taking a deep breath, he cupped her face gently in his hands. "Elena, I care about you very much. I want us to be more than just friends."

"We already are," She said innocently, "We kissed." She knew 'enough' about kisses and friendship thanks to the movies she had watched as a kid. She knew that there was a difference between a 'friend' and a 'boyfriend'. Boyfriends kissed their girlfriends, whilst friends only hugged or gave each other kisses on the cheek.

Unable to say anything else, Damon simply smiled and shrugged. "Yes, we already are."

Puzzled by the tone of his voice and the change in demeanor, Elena decided not to push the matter. She was still unsure of why he had brought the topic up, but as long as they were clear, she had no objection at all. She was fine with small kisses—she enjoyed them. She felt like Cinderella or Snow White.

Hesitant, she gave Damon a small peck on the lips. Not wanting to risk freaking her out again, he didn't try to turn the innocent kiss into something more sensual, however he did wrap his arms around her, allowing himself to bury his face in her hair.

At that moment, Damon knew what he was giving up. But she was more important than anything else, than his lust. He was going to try. He was going to prove to her that she could trust him. And even though he could never fully make it up to her, he was going to spend the rest of eternity making sure that Elena was being treated well.

* * *

Months passed and things turned to the better. Giuseppe left town without as much as saying goodbye and Damon and Elena's relationship continued to grow stronger—emotionally that was, because physically, Damon didn't dare to initiate any intimacy between them, except for a brief peck on the lips. However, he did introduce her to a few teenage movies, and they would spend hours discussing them.

During that time, Damon made sure to put Elena's interests first as much as he could, and despite the fact that he was afraid of stopping the human-slaves business, he had imposed new laws that stated that humans had to be well taken care of and not deprived of basic necessities. Even though it was frowned upon, Damon was allowed to make the decision.

However, the trouble started when Damon proposed a new law that stopped vampires from killing slaves. The board was enraged, and they had met that evening to try and come up with a solution together. 

"It doesn't make sense _economically,_" Damon insisted. "We are spending thousands to import slaves. We are risking everything, even risking importing vampire hunters, and then we are having them killed the second they are bought."

"The owners have the right to do whatever they please," Von Swartzchild barked. Damon knew that Stefan's father had recently bought a lot of new slaves, which had cost him about one hundred thousand dollars. The only reason he bought them was to enjoy the control over them, because he didn't really need their services. "That's why they pay money."

"We all know that this has nothing to do with the economy," Another barked. "We are not stupid. We see the way you look at the human slave you have with you. She has got you wrapped around her little finger."

"Enough is enough, Damon," Von Swartzchild said again, his face red with anger. "We won't hesitate to find a new governor if you keep this up. You're supposed to be protecting our interests."

"And you certainly have no right to speak to me like this!" Damon slammed his fists down on the table, his blood boiling.

"Then deny it," He hissed, "Say that you don't feel anything for the human."

"I don't have to explain myself to you!" Damon snapped, "My life has nothing to do with you."

"Yes, it does!" He hissed, "If you're making a mockery of the vampire race, yeah, it does. It's already a humiliating situation, having to explain that the governor's closest personal assistant is human and that she has her own fucking desk, for crying out loud."

Von Swartzchild had risen from his seat, but so had Damon. For a while, all they did was glare at each other. Before anything else could happen; Elijah appeared in the doorway. As usual, his features were calm and collected.

"I think it would be best if we all remained calm," He said, walking casually towards Damon.

"It's a bit hard to do, knowing that my son could run this place much better than he does," He pointed his finger at Damon. "He doesn't even have the slightest idea of what being a governor means."

"I don't think you are being fair," Elijah said, his tone indicating a warning.

"You know what, I'm out of here," The latter growled, slamming his fist down on the table. "But this isn't going to stop here."

* * *

Damon thanked his lucky stars that Elena hadn't been there. If she had, it would have made things a lot more difficult to explain. Fortunately for them both, he had asked her to stay home since the meeting was going to take till eleven in the evening.

When he arrived, he found her in the living room wrapped up in a blanket, asleep on the sofa. The sight warmed his heart—she had fallen asleep waiting for _him. _

He didn't want wake her up, but at the same time he didn't want to leave her on the uncomfortable couch all night; he decided to gently wake her. His hands stroked her cheek tenderly and suddenly, her doe eyes were open, looking at him with a smile.

"Hi." She said, looking at the wall clock. "Have you been here for long?"

"No, angel," He told her, reaching out to pick her up. "Come on, let's get you to bed."

She wrapped her arms around his neck as he started to climb up the stairs easily. When he put her down, she muttered something underneath her breath.

"Stay in my room?" She asked him, however he noticed that she was pointing at the small armchair. He couldn't understand why she didn't let him sleep in her bed; especially when they had seen a lot of romantic movies—none sexual—that showed just that. However, it was already a step towards the right direction, since she had never asked him that before. Besides, it wasn't like he needed a good sleep, he slept only out of habit.

"Of course," he told her, covering her with blankets. "I'm right here."

"Goodnight, Damon," She yawned, and within moments, she was snoring softly.

In the darkness of her room, Damon let himself think about everything he had been going through. The image of his dead mother had been haunting him for years, and the fact that his father had lied to him hurt him deeply. He was desperate to find out the truth, and yet whenever he attempted to figure out the past he felt scared. More than scared, actually—petrified. He knew that it'd open a box full of questions, full of pain.

He was about to stand up to have a shower when he heard a pained cry coming from Elena's throat. At first, he thought that she was in pain, but as soon as he moved closer to her he realised that she was still fast asleep.

_She must be having a nightmare, _Damon told himself mentally, and attempted to walk away again. However when he heard her crying for the second time, he knew that he had to step in, especially when he knew that he could control her dreams. Focusing on getting inside her head, Damon sat back down to try and see what was troubling the girl.

But as he became a part of her dream, it shocked him. He found himself staring at a naked Elena on her bed. She was trashing and screaming while a shadow held her down and beat her. He saw whoever it was take their clothes of and climb on top of her and try to force her to keep quiet.

In the dream, Elena was being raped.

What made him afraid was that Elena wasn't supposed to know what that meant; but yet her subconscious somehow did.

She was screaming, crying, pleading. He could sense the confusion, the fear, the innocence being ripped away. It was almost like he was _her;_ almost everything _she_ was feeling, the physical and mental violence she was being put through. The whole experience made him feel physically sick, so much so that he lost control over his powers completely so that he couldn't even focus enough to get inside her head again.

At first he thought it was a dream, soon he realised it was more than that. It was a terrible memory. He couldn't help but let a tear stream down his cheeks_. __Oh, Elena, _he cried to himself, the guilt overwhelming him_. What has been done to you? _


	30. Chapter 30

**Would like to thank my beta reader ****Virginia Herondale-****Raffaeli for her help on this chapter!**

**Extra long chapter for you guys, trying to repay you for disappearing! I have started University, it's hectic but I'm settling down.**

* * *

Damon poured himself a drink. He wasn't really into drinking, but recently he had realised that alcohol was the only thing keeping him sane.

The dream had been oddly realistic. It seemed like it were a memory, and the thought terrified him. His hands were shaking as he raised the glass; his head pounding as horrifying thoughts kept repeating in his mind. What if she had been abused? What if he had been too busy to notice? He flinched, remembering that for years, he had abandoned her. She had transformed into a woman in front of his very own eyes and he hadn't been there for her, ever.

How could he not see the signs before? He had seen the way his friends looked at her. Hell, they had even sexually assaulted her once, and he hadn't been strong enough to protect her back then. _But now, _Damon thought, _now I'll be damned if I leave her alone. _

He set the glass down and tried to think. The ball of dread in his stomach grew larger, even when he tried to convince himself that he had nothing to worry about, that it was simply a nightmare. His hands closed into fists; anger taking over him. He was furious with himself.

He didn't deserve her. That much was clear. He had abandoned her, he had taken her from everyone she loved, and he had even cheated on her. Even if she didn't know of such a concept; he had still betrayed her. It occurred to him then, how he had left Elena in the dark about everything. She didn't even know the true concept behind their relationship. She considered him as a friend, perhaps a special friend who kissed her, but nothing more. There were a lot of discussions to be held about intimacy, about love, about faithfulness and unfaithfulness.

How could he explain all of it to a girl who is so detached from society? Slaves weren't exactly allowed to be social. Their 'outings' consisted of nothing more than walks in the early morning to buy groceries and other necessary needs for their owners. They were often given a time limit, and humans were not often allowed to stop and talk to each other, even whilst shopping in stores. That meant that the only people Elena had real contact with were himself and his father; and the other vampires that were invited to the Salvatore house. She had no friends, no female influence, no one to help her overcome her struggles, both on a human level and a personal level. The slave's life consisted only of serving their master, confined between four walls for the most part of the day, cooking and cleaning. He hadn't really thought about it before, but he had deprived Elena from more than her freedom. He had taken away the chance of her knowing what it's like to be social, to have friends that she could count on, to discuss "girl things" with others her age.

"D-Damon?"

Damon's head whipped around, only to see Elena hovering timidly in front of him. Watching her standing there in the moonlight, Damon realised that she could be the most beautiful thing he had ever seen in his life. The purity, the gentleness…it was radiating off her. She had a sort of innocence that was hard to find those days.

"Elena," He turned to her, "What are you doing up?"

He realised that he had been drinking for a good hour, and that he hadn't even realised that Elena had roused from her slumber.

"Bad dream," She told him, walking over to him. There was a timid look in her eyes as she sat down on the couch. "Do you mind if I make myself some coffee?"

"Of course not," Damon shook his head, but stopped in his actions after a while. "Why don't you rest—I'll make you a cup."

Elena stared at him in shock. _A master, _serving a _slave? _She looked up at him to check if he was being serious, and he was. He left the room without uttering another word and soon the deafening silence of the house started to overwhelm her. She could sense that something was worrying Damon, that something was wrong.

And she was right, because when he finally came back with the cup, he looked like he was walking towards her robotically, almost if he wasn't focusing.

She took a sip and watched as he sat down on the other side of the couch; almost as if he was afraid of touching her. He was making her feel very uneasy.

"What was the dream about?" He asked her a few moments later. It was the last thing Elena expected him to ask and she raised her eyebrows.

"It was a nightmare," Elena brushed it off. She didn't even know how to describe it anyway, all she knew was that it reminded her of pain and suffering; and of blood running down her thighs. She closed her eyes, trying not to flinch. No, it reminded her of more than that. It reminded her of how her body became one with another's, with Giuseppe's, and how she had no control over it. It was almost like her body wasn't hers anymore, it was Giuseppe's.

"Elena?"

She looked at Damon, who had a worrying glance on his face. Had he seen her flinch? Could she perhaps use her facial expressions to show him what Giuseppe had been doing to her? Did she even want to trust him with something like that? Giuseppe was, after all, his father. And even though Damon had done a lot to protect her from him; she wasn't sure she could trust him about that one.

"I don't remember," Elena lied. "I just remember that it was scary and that it made me feel unsafe."

Damon sensed her lie and it felt like a stake had been driven through his heart. He spoke calmly. "Elena, is there anything you'd like to share with me?" What more could he say? He imagined how their discussion could go, "Elena…have you been raped in those six years I was busy hating life?" and obviously that just wouldn't work out. But he had to, he had to know.

"Share what?" She asked him.

"I just want you to know that you can tell me anything you want. I'll be able to protect you. Is someone hurting you, Elena?"

"Hurting" didn't even cover it, but it was as close as he could get to the actual question with the avoidance of the word 'rape'.

For moments, she tried to force her mind to purge out the sentence. He was asking her to trust him, and perhaps she could. She turned her attention to him, trying hard to blurt the words out. But her mind didn't obey, and the next thing that came out of her mouth was a "No".

However, Damon wasn't stupid. He could sense her, he could hear her heart beating fast, the sweat suddenly forming on her forehead. It drove him crazy, knowing that she was keeping something from him.

"Can I go back to bed now, please?" Elena asked him quietly. She knew that she didn't have to ask for his permission, but it was the only thing she could say.

Damon decided not to push her. In one way or another, he was going to find out.

He nodded his head, turning to the tumbler to pour himself another drink.

* * *

Morning quickly came and Damon decided that he should be in the office earlier than usual, especially after his disagreement with the Board. At least he could get some time to sort out his work in peace before they enter one by one and start arguing with him. It wasn't the first time that he had left home at six in the morning, because in a way, the office was more freeing.

It didn't take Damon too long to wake Elena up and soon they were both dressed and ready to start the day. Ever since Elena started to work in the office, Damon noticed that she seemed different. She seemed less tense and she had even showed him how bright she was on multiple occasions. She completed all her work on time, neatly and efficiently, and she was a fast learner despite the fact that she hadn't had formal education in more than six years.

"Where should I put this file?" She asked him after a few hours of working in complete silence. "I think you should give it a look before I store it. There's something about a new law and even though I've taken care of making the necessary copies, I think that you should be aware."

"You can put it here, Elena," Damon put the mountain of papers aside so that she could place the rather thick file on his desk. "By any chance, did you get the mail?"

"I did," Elena informed him, handing him three letters. He sighed, tearing open one of them, which was addressed to his office directly rather to one of the departments.

He read it in silence and then turned to Elena. "I guess we are invited to some kind of formal gathering tonight."

"We?" Elena raised her eyebrows.

"Since you're my companion, you're automatically invited," He told her, putting the invitation neatly back to its place. "My father used to attend a lot of events. Nothing much, just a lot of expensive food and overrated outfits."

He picked up Elena's hand and held it in his. "Would you like to come with me?"

Elena realised that he was giving her a choice, that she could actually refuse if she wanted to. Whilst the idea of a vampire gathering was not completely appealing, it was better than staying at home alone all night. She feared that Giuseppe would return soon and that he'd just do to her whatever he wanted.

She nodded her head slightly, and Damon picked up her hand, kissing her knuckles. "Thank you."

* * *

The rest of the day passed pretty quickly because there was a lot to be done. Damon spent a good half of the afternoon walking around silently cursing the invite, as he thought it was inappropriate to be sent an invite only a few days before the meeting.

"All settled for tomorrow's meeting?" Elijah asked Damon as the latter started to wrap up his work.

"Yes," Damon said, "I prepared a speech in case the need arises. Are you going to be there?"

"Yes," Elijah confirmed, "A lot of us in the office are going to be there, actually."

"What is this exactly?"

"It's held annually. We gather together to get to know each other, since there's always someone new to meet. The Board thinks that it's important that society knows who we are and how hard we are working for them."

"Do they usually take this long to send out invites?" Damon sighed. "I didn't know about this till today."

"Yes, unfortunately it's always the same," Elijah replied, straightening his tie. "Is there something you need before I go home, Governor Salvatore?"

"No, thank you," Damon shook his head. "I'll see you tomorrow then."

* * *

"Make sure to pick your favourite for tonight."

Elena walked towards Damon slowly as he put a bag on her bed and invited her to look inside. Almost worried that he would stop her, she waited for him to nod his head before opening the bag, only to see about five formal dresses. They were all equally stunning, ranging from plain to glittery and to patterned.

"Wow," She said, her hand running over the fabric of the mustard-coloured dress.

"Do you like them?" He asked her.

"They are beautiful," Elena gasped in awe. She had never seen more beautiful clothing in her life. She looked up at him, as if to confirm that they were indeed for her.

"Choose the best one for tonight," He instructed. "You deserve to wear pretty clothing. I also left you a pair of black wedges. I know that you have only worn heels a couple of times, so I chose the lowest available. There are also a couple of necklaces and earrings."

"Thank you so much, Damon," Without thinking, she found herself running straight to his arms, and he held on to her so tightly, almost as if she was going to disappear into oblivion.

"I'll let you get dressed, then," Damon cleared his throat and tried to collect himself. She offered him a warm smile and he left the room to put on his tux.

* * *

Straightening his tie, Damon turned his attention on tying his shoes and then he looked at himself in the full length mirror. Satisfied enough, he tried to imagine which dress Elena had chosen, secretly hoping that she had chosen the rose pink one. He could almost already imagine it on her, on her slim and elegant body.

A knock on the door brought him out of his reverie and he took a deep breath to remain cool and collected. Answering with a 'come in', he nearly salivated when he saw Elena in front of him. She was blushing, her eyes downcast, but then she managed to smile.

"Am I…" Elena asked timidly, "Am I going to make you ashamed of me?"

Damon's words caught in his mouth, her little sentence making him flinch. Did she not notice how beautiful she looked, how perfect she was? How could she think that he'd feel ashamed of her?

"Elena, no," He finally spoke, "God no. You look amazing."

Almost as if she had read his mind, she had decided to wear the rose pink coloured dress. It was a cocktail dress with organza beading on the top, strapless part and multicoloured tulle that created a rainbow-like effect. She had chosen the heart pendant and matched it with a pair of simple yet elegant silver earrings, and she was wearing the wedges he had chosen for her. Her hair was left natural, falling in uneven waves down her back.

He was so lost in looking at her that he didn't realise that she was asking him a question. "I don't really know how to style my hair."

"Elena, you look beautiful already," He said, finally tearing his eyes off her. "I can help you with your hair, if you want me to."

Her eyes still downcast, she nodded and sat down on the chair Damon had pulled out for her. The second he ran his fingers through her locks, he lost himself in them. They were soft as silk, just like when they were children.

"Do you remember when we were children…" Elena asked him, surprising him. She didn't really speak about the past when they were together. "You used to braid my hair. Your mother taught you how."

"Of course I remember," Damon said softly, feeling bittersweet. "I also used to blow dry it."

"You loved my hair. You were always playing with it," She smiled.

"I still do," Damon told her, tugging at a loose curl. "Some things never change."

"Yeah," Elena said, "They do not."

Elena let Damon complete his task with comfortable silence and gentle devotion. He let half of her hair down and braided a few sides of her hair before pinning them both at the back, giving it a waterfall-like effect. Since Elena had naturally wavy hair, it came out looking perfect.

"This is beautiful," Elena said as soon as he finished spraying it with hairspray. "Thank you so much, Damon. I've never felt this good before."

"You're welcome, Elena," He said, his heart aching at her innocence.

"You look good in a suit," She built up the courage to address him less formally. Despite the fact that their relationship had changed, Elena wasn't comfortable talking to Damon as if he were an equal. Sometimes she feared that he'd snap, or worse, that someone else would hear her addressing the 'governor' in a 'disrespectful' manner.

"Thank you," He told her, "But not half as good as you look."

He leaned in and grabbed her face, giving her a peck on the cheek. "Ready to go?"

* * *

Elena was not used to so many people being in the same couple of rooms. Due to the fact that she had never attended teen parties or anything similar, she found the idea pretty intimidating at first, especially knowing that the majority of the guests were vampires.

The first problem occurred a few minutes after they walked through the front door. At first, all seemed to be going well. Damon shook hands, stopped for both photographs and autographs and chatted with those who walked up to him. He was highly respected and for moments Elena did not know what to do, but decided to stay by his side anyway, assuming that if he didn't want her there he wouldn't have taken her with him. And Damon never once forgot about her, because even in the crowd, he gave her hands a gentle squeeze or an encouraging smile.

But suddenly, she heard someone talking to Damon, and then people staring at her.

"She's the slave?" He asked, "Since when do we dress our slaves this way? I barely realised that she was human. It was your friend Tyler who told me."

Damon clenched his teeth together. He should've guessed that his friends would be there.

"I don't mean to intrude, sir, but shouldn't she be dressed in rags?"

Elena stayed silent as they spoke venomously about her. She was more worried about Damon's reaction.

"Elena's my secretary, she accompanies me during meetings," Damon said as patiently as possible. "Since this is a formal event, it's only suitable that I bring my companion."

"Well," Another voice spoke in the crowd. Damon recognised him, it was Stefan's father. "Certainly the girl doesn't belong here. There are other slaves in this mansion tonight, she should go help with the cooking and the cleaning, not partying with us."

"I believe that that's my decision to make," Damon said coolly.

"Slaves aren't welcome in my house, not unless they are working," He said again. "Since I'm the host, my decisions should be respected."

"You're hosting this?" Damon said in surprise, but he quickly composed himself. "The decision's mine to make, Sir, as I told you. Elena will not leave my sight."

Damon could see the man's face harden. He saw him looking around, and as if to look good in front of all the people he said, "Of course, governor. Who am I to deny something you want?" The mockery was evident in his tone; but everyone else thought he was being respectful.

"Thank you," Damon said stiffly, taking Elena by the arm and guiding her to the main dining hall.

Elena didn't bother to bring the matter up again, she knew that it'd be useless. She wouldn't have minded helping the other slaves if it meant not creating a fight, but Damon seemed pretty determined as he guided her towards the centre of the room, where food was being served.

And he was right—The food was delicious. They were served a variety of finger foods and even though the Salvatores were rich and enjoyed fine dining, Elena had never tasted anything quite like that. At one point, someone from the dancefloor came up to Damon and offered him a glass of blood.

"Elena," Damon told her, "There's the waiting area outside, wait for me there because I have some business to attend to."

Elena nodded her head, relieved to leave the crowd for a few minutes. It was exhausting for her to be around so many vampires, especially when most of them were noble. However, she was worried of being alone.

"It's a quiet area," Damon whispered in her ear, "I won't take too long."

Giving her a smile, he pointed at one of the doors. "Turn to the right. There's a room with plenty of chairs and loveseats."

Elena muttered an 'okay' and headed towards the room, trying to avoid eye contact with the guests. Fortunately, the more she walked, the further she got from all the chaos. In fact, when she reached the waiting room it was so quiet that she wasn't even sure if she was still in the same house anymore. She sat down on the sofa nervously and looked around, her eyes falling on the sign by the door. _Swartzchild and Sons Limited, Attorneys at Law, _it read. So this was why there was a waiting room, she thought. A part of the house was used as an office. It made her wonder how rich and powerful these vampires were.

Everything was squeaky clean and decorated with the finest of carpets and tapestry pillows. The silver was well polished and everything was of high standard. It almost made Elena forget that she was in the house of vampires. They reminded her of royalty, of the palaces she used to see in Disney movies. Standing up, she realised that there were plenty of other rooms, including more offices, a small kitchenette and a bedroom. And all of that was all on the same floor, where the party was being held.

"Hello?" Elena heard someone ask. The voice seemed to be shaking and when she turned around she saw a young woman, perhaps in her twenties. The way she carried herself showed Elena that the woman was not a vampire, she was human.

Elena looked her up and down. She hadn't seen a human like this in ages. It was the first time that she could actually talk to someone in privacy. The second Elena's gaze fell on the girl's clothing, she realised that she was also a slave.

"My name is Elena," She told her slowly, standing up. "I'm with governor Salvatore."

"Oh," The girl sighed in relief. "For a moment, I thought you were one of them."

"One of who?" Elena asked, curiously.

"The Board's slaves. Some of them are bitches," There was disgust written on her face. Seeing Elena's puzzled expression, she apologised. "I'm sorry. I haven't even told you my name yet. I'm Caroline, Caroline Forbes. I'm owned by Mr. Von Swartzchild."

Elena didn't know what to say, but fortunately the blonde seemed to be quite bubbly. "You're Damon Salvatore's slave, then?" Her eyes moved down Elena's body.

"Yes."

"There are no marks on you," She pointed out, amazed. "You're one lucky girl." Caroline rolled up her sleeve and extended her arm. Multiple cigarette burns littered her skin, as well as bruises.

"Mr. Von Swartzchild has a short temper," She said bitterly.

"Damon's not like that," Elena told her, to which Caroline gasped.

"You address your master by his first name?"

"Most of the time…" Elena said slowly. "He cares about me, and I…I consider him a friend."

Caroline remained frozen, almost as if Elena had just spoken a strange language. "Elena, I don't know you," She said, sitting down. "But I have been a slave since I was five years old. Vampires are incapable of loving or caring about anyone who is not one of their own. You and I…we are strangers to them, Elena. We are simply their food, their amusement."

"Damon cares about me."

"If he did, then why are you still here?" Caroline challenged, "He would've let you go. Tell me, Elena. What has he ever done to deserve your friendship?"

For a while, Elena didn't answer her. She didn't know about the concept of passionate love or anything similar, though the feeling was there. But what had he ever done to deserve her? He had taken her away from her family and he had abandoned her for years. Why did she feel the way she felt about him? Was it because he was the only one there showing her an ounce of kindness?

But no, she corrected herself. She couldn't let herself think like that. Damon cared about her in his own way. He had made mistakes but he had protected her. He even stood up against his own father for her. He was trying hard to make up for the mistakes he had made in the past.

She was so lost that she didn't even realise that Caroline was talking to her. "I have to go, I still have rooms to clean," The blonde was saying.

Startled, Elena managed to smile and say a brief goodbye. "Maybe I'll see you again," She told her.

"Who knows?" Caroline smiled at her, her blonde curls bouncing. "It was great meeting you, Elena. I don't really see many humans."

With that, she disappeared and Elena was left alone again. However, the silence was comfortable, the room serving as a safe haven shielding her from the horrors outside. She felt lucky that she got to meet Caroline, maybe she could tell him to bring her more often to the Von Swartzchilds. She really needed to talk to someone who could understand her.

"And what are you doing here?"

Elena's blood ran cold at the familiar voice and the second she raised her head was the second that her heart started to beat faster against her chest.

"Tyler," Elena whispered.

"On a first name basis, I see," He told her coolly, walking towards her. Elena shrunk away from him, wanting nothing more than to melt into the back of the sofa. He reached out and caressed her face. "Seriously Elena, if you wanted to get more _personal, _or you had to do was ask." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and started to run a hand up her thigh.

"No!" Elena cried out, raising from her seat. Knowing that everything about him was screaming danger, she headed blindly to one of the corridors, running as fast as she could in an attempt to get away from him and try to find another way to the main hall where Damon was, seeing that Tyler was blocking her way.

She ran as fast as her legs could carry her, hoping that somewhere there was a door that led her to Damon, but it was no use. There was no other way, to get to Damon, she had to turn back. He seemed to be enjoying the hunt because he was calm, using only his normal walking speed.

And then she turned her head around as she was running, only to find him gone.

She stopped dead in her tracks, sweat forming on her forehead.

And then she felt it.

The grasp of his hands around her waist, his breath by her ear. He was holding her in a vice-like grip, so tightly that she couldn't move an inch.

"Got you," He whispered, and she felt him licking her ear. "If you scream, I will kill you," He threatened, leading them both to one of the bedrooms.

She grew limp in his arms, the fear almost paralyzing her. She didn't even realise that they were in the bedroom, not before he roughly threw her on the bed.

"Do you know how long I've waited to have you?" Tyler said, sitting on the bed. "I've wanted you since Damon showed you to us. And now, I'm finally getting my wish."

"No," Elena pleaded, attempting to sit back up, but Tyler pushed her down. "Don't you dare move, Elena," He threatened her, "I _will _hurt you."

He savagely climbed on top of her and Elena let out a cry of pain as she felt herself being crushed by his weight. His hands started to run down her body and he savagely spread her legs apart, his fingers brushing against her panties.

"You're going to shut up and enjoy all of this," He said cruelly, using his vampire reflexes to tear the top part of her dress along with her bra, nearly salivating at the sight of her bare breasts. His hands were rough as he played with them and Elena cried out in pain.

"Shut up!" He yelled, slapping her hard across the face.

Everything happened quickly then. Within seconds, he had wiggled out of his trousers and tore off her underwear along with the rest of her dress. And then, he forced himself in her with one hard stroke.

"No," Elena cried at the intrusion, but it didn't stop Tyler.

"Yes," He said cruelly, his thrusts rough.

And then, she heard him gasp. Through her foggy vision, she saw Tyler's mouth hanging open. The thrusts stopped but he remained on top of her, unmoving.

And suddenly…he fell.

"Oh my God," Elena gasped through a river of tears and pain. "D-Damon?"

"Now, you will never touch her again," He said, crushing Tyler's heart between his fingers.

* * *

**And Damon is now officially a murderer. Obviously, in the society Damon lives in, killing is illegal. **

**Damon now (wrongly) thinks that it was Tyler who has been raping Elena.**

**Caroline has made Elena think in this chapter. You see, Elena does not really know what a "relationship" means. She merely sees Damon as a "special friend who kisses her". She doesn't truly know about the sexual/sensual aspects of a relationship. Caroline has also made her re-think her current situation. It is obvious that in the story, Damon is selfish, and let's be real here-If this was a real situation, Elena couldn't love him. But on the same hand, TVD Damon is also like this. He killed Elena's brother and people she cared about, and yet Elena still loves him. I think that this Delena-he messes up, ruins everything, and then they always reconcile. **

**That being said, Elena will now start to think for herself more. Does she really "love" Damon ("love" in her own innocent way) or is it simply because he is the only one who is kind to her? Kind of like Stockholm Syndrome? **

**I would LOVE to hear your thoughts. **

**Feedback is love**


	31. Chapter 31

**I have not updated in ages! University was harder than I thought but I finally found some time to do so. I hope that you like this chapter, please excuse any mistakes because I did not send this to my beta, in hope that I will get it uploaded quickly.**

**I wish you all a Happy New Year and I hope you all had a Happy Christmas\Happy Holidays.**

**Thank you for your ongoing support. **

* * *

Elena's mind was foggy. Pain was exploding in the lower part of her body, and she could hear the sound of skin ripping and the sound of an animal growling. For a moment, she thought that she was dying, and that she went straight to hell. At least, that's what she imagined hell to be like—a cold place with hellhounds growling at all the "devil's children", as Giuseppe had nicknamed her.

But when her eyes opened slightly, she realised that she wasn't in hell, and that it wasn't an animal which was growling. It was Damon, who was sitting down on the ground, his hands full of blood. The beautiful face she knew was gone and instead the other face she knew too well took its place. Dark veins appeared all over his face, his fangs elongated.

Elena's head was spinning and she found herself unable to move, unable to get off the bed. When she looked down, she realised that she was still naked, the excuse of a dress knotted around her ankles. She didn't even have the will or energy to pull it back up to cover herself, she had been violated so many times that it started to seem like normalcy.

And then, she felt gentle hands touching her face, and when she turned around to seek the touch she thought that this time, she was in Heaven, and that an angel was protecting her. It took her a full minute to realise that Damon had flashed towards her and that his face was back to normal. She felt him adjust her dress to cover her, but it was too badly torn to cover her upper body. Immediately, Damon took off his blazer and wrapped it around her, not only covering her but also keeping her warm.

"Elena," He murmured, heartbroken.

She longed to reply, but the words got stuck in her throat. All she could focus was on the pain. She didn't even realise that Damon had picked her up until she felt the soft mattress disappearing from underneath her. Her entire body was weak and she was fighting to stay conscious.

"Make it stop," Was all she said before her body failed her.

* * *

When Elena opened her eyes, it was close to three hours later. When her vision cleared, she saw Damon's worried face. He was holding a towel and putting it on her forehead, and he looked like he had seen a ghost.

"What happened?" She asked, attempting to get up slowly. She was surprised when she realised that she could do so without difficulty. Her eyes started to search her body, surprised when she saw that not a single bruise had remained.

"I'm sorry, Elena, but I couldn't stand idly by and watch you suffer," He said, sitting down on the bed, gently cupping her hands in his own.

"What are you talking about? What did you do?" Her eyes widened as her eyes landed on the spot on which the ugliest cigarette burn was supposed to be. "Am I…Am I turning into a vampire? I thought that…"

She knew that it couldn't be the case since her body would have needed to be physically ready, but at that point she was so worried and confused that she was fearing the worst. It hadn't occurred to her that Damon could heal her.

"I fed you my blood," He said, a wave of guilt rushing over his features; but it disappeared quickly. "It had to be done. You were in pain."

Elena wanted to protest, but she kept silent for a few seconds. He had done so to save her life; and it was worth it. She hadn't felt so healthy in way too long.

"I'm not mad at you for doing it," Elena whispered, "It had to be done. I don't like the fact that you gave it to me without my permission, but I understand why you did it."

At that she hid a gasp at the realisation of how informal she was speaking to someone who was technically still both her master and her governor.

Pressing her luck, she concluded, "Thank you."

Damon didn't reply. Instead, he stared down at the sheets, twisting one end around his finger. Taking a deep breath, he asked the question that had been on his mind ever since he saw her pinned underneath Tyler.

"Did Tyler…" He struggled to choose his words, "Has he been…"

Elena's heart started to beat faster against her chest. She wanted to speak, but the compulsion made it impossible for her to speak one word about Giuseppe.

"Has he been…_raping _you?"

For a moment, Elena froze. So there _was _a word that covered what had been happening to her. 'Raping', she said it again in her head. _Rape must be the act_, she thought. It sounded harsh, but it was nothing like the act itself. She had expected something more gigantic, something which crushed you just by saying it. At least that way people could understand that the act was worse.

Lost in her linguistic analysis, she didn't realise that Damon's fists were enclosed with rage and at the same time confusion.

"Has he been touching you in ways that made you uncomfortable?"

Giuseppe might've seduced her mind; but her tears still had their free will. They rolled down her cheeks, falsely confirming Damon's theory.

"Why didn't you tell me, Elena? Why didn't you tell me that Tyler has been hurting you?"

Elena stopped for a moment at that, and forced her mind to think. Giuseppe had compelled her to keep his secret, and not to disagree with a statement.

She had to try, try to at least say that it wasn't Tyler. "Not Tyler," She managed to squeak.

It was Damon's turn to be shocked. Her eyes were fixed on Elena's face, and after swallowing soundly, he asked, "Then who?"

She tried to say the word. She even attempted to write it, but when she tried, all that appeared was a random stroke of the pen. She couldn't say the word out loud.

"Elena, please just tell me," He pleaded, "I know you're scared, but you have to tell me. I can help you if you let me."

"I…" She tried to say 'can't', but the compulsion kicked in again. Damon waited patiently, his fingers gently caressing her face.

"Please," Was all she gasped, "Help me."

"I can help you if you tell me how," He told her, getting agitated. "Tell me, Elena."

"Let's talk about foreign countries," She said, trying to calm herself down. She sat down on the couch and looked at him, longing for him to join her.

"What?" The confusion was evident in his features. "Elena, we have to talk about what happened."

"Trust me, I know," She said, her eyes pleading. "But I need to talk about foreign countries right now. Countries like Germany."

"What are you talking about, Elena? Why are you speaking nonsense?"

"I heard that the capital of Germany is the reason why girls like me get hurt," She said, her body growing stiff, her eyes wide. "The capital of Germany does bad things to people, to humans. To me."

"What are you talking about, Elena? You're not making any sense and you've never even been to Germany."

She pressed on, but her mouth quickly closed shut. It was the furthest her compulsion allowed her to go.

"You can't understand me, Damon. The answer lies in the capital of Germany."

Suddenly, Damon realised that this couldn't be her going insane for a few seconds. For some reason, Elena couldn't get her message across through simple language, and instead she was using a different technique.

"Are you under compulsion, Elena? Did someone compel you? If yes, blink a couple of times."

She tried to do so, but again her body failed her. Damon, however, didn't miss the couple of unshed tears.

"They have!" He exclaimed, "Who did this to you, Elena? Is the person who did this to you from Germany?"

"I sent my first letter to Germany," She tried again. "The first letter ever."

"Letters, capitals…" Damon repeated after her like a madman, and then he turned around.

"Elena, I need you to trust me. I'm going to try to undo the compulsion, but in order to do that, I have to compel you myself." He cupped her face gently. "Tell me, Elena. Who is hurting you?"

"I can't," She said, even under his trance, "But the answer lies in the capital of Germany. In the first letter."

"What letter? Do I have to get the letter?" He asked, growing desperate. "Please, can you tell me?"

" y," She spelled the word out.

For a while, Damon remained frozen. But then, his mind could finally comprehend what Elena was saying. "The letter G," He said, "The capital letter of the word Germany!"

Elena's lips curled upwards very briefly.

"G," He said, going through the list which was stuck in his mind.

"Do you see Germany often?"

Elena nodded.

So her rapist was someone close to her. He tried to think of people he had introduced her to. Gabriel, Gabe, Gaetan…They were all people who visited the offices. But they were not that frequent.

Then, a thought occurred in his mind, a thought so frightening that he froze. The earth seemed to crash down on him as realization hit. Shock then turned to anger.

"Giuseppe," He gasped. "He's the one, isn't he?"

He did not know what to do. All he knew was that he had never felt such shame. How could he not notice? How could he leave Elena to suffer at the hands of his father? He had seen what Giuseppe did to Elena. He had seen how he had physically abused her and tortured her. He should've imagined that he'd do more than that to her.

The guilt kept infesting itself in his heart, but there was nothing he could say or do to fix it. No apology could make everything right. He didn't even want to be forgiven. In all those years, he had done nothing to help Elena. He had abandoned her. He didn't just let Giuseppe hurt her physically—that was already bad enough—he had let him take her virginity, her innocence. He couldn't imagine what it must've felt like for her, to be raped for her first time. None of this was right. She was supposed to be cherished. She was supposed to make love to someone who would kiss and worship her body like a temple, someone who would cuddle with her afterwards.

When he looked up, he saw that the tears were rolling down Elena's cheeks like a waterfall. That was the confirmation he needed. He became blinded with rage. His father had done so much to him. He had killed his mother and blamed Elena's father for it. He had never done anything to take his revenge, but now, he had all the power. He was going to see to it that Giuseppe suffered. He was going to take away everything, bit by bit.

"I will make him pay, Elena," His teeth were clenched together, his hands closed into fists. "I will make him pay for what he did to you. I'm going to find a way to free you from his compulsion, and then I need you to tell me everything."

"I promise you one thing," He added, "I will not leave you alone again, not even for a second. From now on, you're under my protection. We will keep doing everything like we have been doing these past few days. You'll come to the office with me and you will come with me wherever I'll go."

Elena nodded her head fast as she cried. "Yes," She replied, "That's what I want. Please don't leave me here, Damon."

"I won't," He squeezed her hand, and then he leaned forward to whisper in her ear, "When this is all over and I have made Giuseppe pay, we will start over. I will take you far away from here, away from all of this."

Elena noticed a hint of sadness in Damon's eyes, as well as a tone of finality, of resignation. She wanted to ask more but he put a finger to her lips to silence her. "It will be alright."

Damon turned away from her. His anger had turned into sadness at the thought of what he had just said. He was going to destroy his father slowly. Death would be too kind; but he knew exactly how to hurt him the most. What saddened him was what was going to happen after that, because deep down in his heart he knew that the only way he could earn not only Elena's forgiveness but also the capability to forgive himself was if he lets Elena go. He knew that the only way Elena could be safe was if she went back to a human village and if the vampires stopped kidnapping innocent people.

_But how can I part from her? _ Damon thought solemnly, _How can I be without her now? _ The girl had a special place in his heart, and despite everything that had happened, despite the fact that he had done absolutely nothing to deserve her and that he had spent the best part of his life hurting her in a way or another, he never once stopped to think how sad his life would be without her.

"Damon," Elena walked up to him timidly, her eyes full of horror. The tone of her voice was enough to make Damon's head whip around fast.

"Tyler's dead," She gasped.

At that little sentence, Damon's head cleared. With everything Elena had told him, he had forgotten that he had killed that son of a bitch and that he had left him there. Under vampire law, that was illegal. He was the governor, his sole responsibility was supposed to be towards the vampire race. How could he justify murdering his own kind to The Board? He could see it, 'I killed Tyler Lockwood because he was raping Elena, who's human'. The thought of saying that alone was laughable.

"I'll fix it," He whispered. "I have to hide the body…"

"'Hide the body'?" Elena panicked, "You didn't bury him? He's still there?" She started to shake. "Oh God, Damon. You cannot hide the body, not now. It's been over an hour-"

"Three hours," Damon said solemnly, pouring himself a scotch.

"Oh my God," Elena's hands rose to her mouth, "Damon, someone must've already discovered the body. There's no way in hell that they didn't."

"He's in one of the bedrooms, I don't think that many guests would go up there."

"Damon how can you act so calmly?" She shouted, "If anyone finds out it's you…"

"Tyler got what he deserved!" Damon threw the glass at the wall, watching in delight as it shattered. "I could've buried him, Elena, if I wanted to. But that bastard does not deserve to be buried! Not after what he did to you!"

"You're not thinking straight, Damon," Elena desperately tried to talk some sense into him, "You're angry."

At that, Damon paused. Yes, he was angry. But in his anger, he was failing her again. He was forgetting that after all, _she _was the one who was supposed to be angry.

"No one will know it's me," Damon finally said, "Before I heard what Tyler was doing to you, I told everyone that I was leaving."

"How can you be so sure?"

"I'm not, Elena," Damon replied, "But there is nothing I can do. Like you said, the body must be discovered by now."

Elena sat down, her hands covering her face. "So what now?"

"Nothing. We live our lives normally, if anything happens, I'll deal with it." He sighed tiredly. "Go back to bed, Elena. We'll talk in the morning."

* * *

Alone in his study, Damon poured what must've been his third glass of scotch. After everything he had learned that night, he was ready to set his plan in motion. He was going to do what he should have done ages before and destroy Giuseppe's life.

Downing the last bit of alcohol he had left; he turned his attention towards the safe in his study. Entering the combination, he carefully took out a big, padded brown envelope. Holding it in his hands, he opened it to make sure that the contents were still there, as he had placed them all those years before. He sighed a sigh of relief when he found everything, and then he placed them all back in the safe and locked it securely.

Just then, Damon heard the front door opening, and his so called father's familiar steps. By those steps alone, he knew that Giuseppe was drunk. Resisting the urge to confront him right there, Damon closed the door behind him and stopped on the stairs, waiting for him to get up.

However, he quickly realised that he was not alone. With Giuseppe, there was a girl of about twenty-three, and with one whiff Damon realised that she was human. The bastard did not even have the decency to compel her, instead he was taking pleasure in pulling her up the stairs towards his bedroom.

"What do you think you're doing?" Damon barked. Giuseppe dropped due to his own drunkenness, but his grip on the girl was still as tight as ever.

"Get out of the way, son," Giuseppe struggled to get up, but fell again.

"Look at you," Damon said in disgust, "Is this the example that you want to set up for your son?"

Giuseppe laughed, turning his attention to the girl. "Never mind him love, we should get going."

"I won't let you hurt her," Damon said, his voice full of authority.

"This is my house, and she, she is my company for the night," Giuseppe barked, pointing at the girl who was screaming, trying to fight his grip. "A man has needs. You would know that if you were man enough."

"You disgust me," Damon told him, shocked at his father's words.

"Am I wrong?" He taunted him, "Only a fag wouldn't take the little human you keep up there."

Damon didn't know what came over him. All he knew was that due to those words and due to the fact that he knew the truth, he couldn't help it—he slammed Giuseppe to the door.

"Get out of here!" He told the human girl as he threw punches at his father, who kept laughing.

"Oh dear, I hit a nerve!" Giuseppe smirked, "Or is it sexual frustration that I'm feeling? Come on, Damon. She's all yours, waiting in the wings. Don't you remember what you told me before I bought Elena for you?"

Damon punched him again without remorse.

"You told me to buy you a slave because you needed someone to play with," He let out a dark chuckle, "Now's the time for you to play with her. Make use of her, at least she'll be worth the price I paid."

"Stop!" Damon screamed, "Or I will drive a stake through your heart myself!"

"Seriously, Damon…I don't understand you," He wiped the blood off his nose. "What is it? She's attractive, she's young…There has to be something stopping you."

"It's called not being a rapist," Damon barked back.

"Oh, I think there's something else," Giuseppe stood up on his feet slowly, "I think it is called you not wanting to fuck your own sister."

At that, Damon froze. The hand that was holding Giuseppe's throat relaxed and the poor excuse of a man stumbled to the floor, desperate to catch his breath.

"You're making this up," Damon snarled.

"Am I?" Giuseppe smiled, "Are you going to ignore the fact that you are not my child, but rather Grayson Gilbert's? Your mother was unfaithful to me. You're her bastard. No wonder we are so different. No wonder you are so weak."

"How dare you disrespect my mother in this way!" Damon growled, enraged. "You're lying! I will never believe a word you say."

"Believe what you want, Damon, but no one can change the truth," He backed away from him, "You're Grayson Gilbert's son."

And with that, he left, leaving Damon stunned.

* * *

**As you can see, Giuseppe has managed to create doubt in Damon. Obviously, we know that Elena is not really Grayson Gilbert's daughter, but Damon does not. **

**Stay tuned for more!**


	32. Chapter 32

**I'm back! Aa finally! This is a difficult time for me, guys. Sorry to keep you waiting. Basically, I had to change my University course so I had to take a gap year. Now, I am working as an EFL teacher and everything has been so crazy. I turned from student to teacher and ...just wow. Haha.**

**Huge thanks to Throughmysoul44 for giving me her opinion and for being the first one to read.**

**I hope that you readers are still interested!**

* * *

Damon couldn't think straight.

Even as he sped to the house where the party was being held, all he could think about was his father's words to him. Was it real? Was he truly Grayson's son? He tried to focus. On her death bed, his mother had asked for a priest. She had something important to confess.

What if…

_Oh God, no_, Damon thought. It couldn't happen. Elena couldn't be his sister. That would only destroy things even more.

He turned his attention to Elena, who was now sitting quietly on the front seat. After his encounter with Giuseppe, he realized that Elena would be a lot safer with him than at home, with the monster. His hands closed into fists and his teeth clenched together in anger. He couldn't believe that his father had been hurting someone so innocent. What was worse was that he let it happen. He had been stupid enough to believe that Giuseppe was only capable of physical abuse. And Elena had been suffering quietly. He shuddered at the thought. How old was she when she had her virginity taken from her? His inner voice, his conscience, finally asked the question. Had she been a mere girl of thirteen, whose body hadn't even developed? Or had she been a bit older, a young woman who surely deserved someone to take care of her?

He finally pulled over and for a few moments, he didn't know what to do. For a while, he thought that he was too late, that the body had been discovered and that the police were on their way to catch him. His first instinct was to panic—and grab Elena and run. But he couldn't help but hold on to the hope that the body wasn't discovered and that he could clear this mess up. He planned on setting Tyler's body on fire, it was what he deserved.

A part of him started to relax as he looked around him. Everything seemed normal. There was no panic, no police cars.

Damon knew that he had to act normally, almost as if he had never left the party to begin with. Smiling at Elena to encourage her, he helped her out of the car and instructed her to go next to the other slaves and help them like she had been doing earlier. "I promise you, I'll be back soon," He whispered in her ear before leading her to the party. No one even noticed, everyone was lost in the music and the free flowing alcohol.

Wasting no more time, Damon sped to the bedroom. His palms were sweaty and he was thinking about the worst scenarios. Shaking, his hands managed to find the door handle.

He held his breath, almost certain that Tyler's body was still there, and opened the door. Slowly walking in the room, Damon's breath caught in his throat as his eyes fell on the empty space on the bed. There was no corpse. Everything was clean and in order. It was almost as if nothing happened. He remained frozen, unable to think. Did someone move the body? But if they did, why didn't they report it? Why did they clean everything up, almost as if to cover any traces that might've led to the murderer? He heard footsteps climbing up the stairs and he quickly left the room; not wanting to be caught snooping around. Instead, he decided to get Elena the hell out of there and try to deal with the problem as soon as he was thinking straight.

"Let's get out of here," He whispered in her ear, grabbing her elbow, unaware of the brown eyed man watching them from a distance.

* * *

Damon decided to drive towards a good hotel in town. He wasn't in the mood to deal with his father and he needed a quiet place to think. Right at that moment, a hotel seemed like the best option. That was until he saw the two different faces that the receptionist made at him. The first was quite pleasant; it was that of recognition. Apparently she was a bit starstruck—He was the governor after all. The second one made him uncomfortable.

"Sir, this hotel has high standards," The receptionist stammered.

_Of course_, Damon thought. Vampires didn't bring humans to hotels with them, not unless they wanted to hire a room for a one-night-stand.

"I know that," Damon said quietly.

"No humans are allowed in this hotel," The receptionist clarified.

Fighting the urge to snap and instead focusing on feigning a smile, Damon said, "I'm sure that your manager would do everything in his power to serve the governor, don't you think?"

The receptionist processed what he had just told her and seeing that it made perfect sense, she nodded her head and gave him the key to one of the best rooms they had in the hotel. "There are only two rooms available, sir. But you certainly deserve this one." She flashed him a flirty smile.

"I would also like a bath robe and a silk pyjama to be given to us," He said, ignoring her comments.

"Of course," She said, happy to serve him. "One, I assume?"

"Two," Damon corrected her. He didn't miss the look of surprise.

"You will find the bath robes in the bathroom. I will make sure that the pyjamas are delivered right away. Please tell me if there's anything else I can do."

"Oh, I will," Damon said a bit arrogantly, the woman getting on his nerves.

He took Elena's hand impatiently and led her to the elevator. "Is everything okay?" She asked him timidly.

"Why are we here?"

"I think it is best if we stay here for a few days," Damon explained. Elena bit her lip and waited; when it became clear that he wasn't going to elaborate she asked, "Why?"

"With Giuseppe around and with everything that happened tonight, I don't want to go home. I need a change of air," He said a bit shortly. "You'll enjoy it."

Elena accepted his answer just as the elevator door opened. After walking down the luxurious corridor, they headed straight to their room. Damon took the key out of his back pocket and instructed Elena to go in first.

It was a large suite with a Queen sized bed, furnished with rich fitted carpets that were of a royal standard. There was a large bathroom with a walk-in shower, the finest bath gels and scents as well as a beautifully decorated living room. It was something that Elena had never seen in her life. What surprised her the most was the lovely view. There was a balcony overlooking the hotel's swimming pool and another which showed a good half of town.

"Wow," Was all she said.

"I'm glad you like it," Damon said shortly.

It was a tone that she didn't like—It was the kind of tone that showed that he was hiding something from her.

"Can you please tell me what's going on?" Elena finally built up the courage to speak. He hadn't spoken a word to her throughout the entire journey and she had been afraid to ask.

"I didn't find Tyler's body," He said, looking around the room like a madman, hoping that he'd find some alcohol.

Elena processed his words, and after a while, she spoke. "Isn't that a good thing?"

"A good thing?" Damon suddenly snapped, "Jesus Christ, Elena. I don't know if it's a good thing. Is it? Did he just get up and walk out of the fucking room like a damn zombie? Did someone grab him? And if they did then why aren't I in prison right now?" He grabbed one of the glasses and threw it hard, rage taking over him, but smiling in satisfaction as he watched it shatter.

Elena jumped and shrunk under his furious gaze, fighting tears. He scared her when he acted that way, when he was out of control.

Realizing that he was scaring Elena and that she had nothing to do with all of it because she was, after all, the victim Damon took a deep breath and sat down on the bed. He took Elena's hands in his own, feeling her tense underneath his touch. Feeling the need to calm her down and show her that he wasn't going to hurt her, he started to stroke her hand softly.

"I'm sorry."

At that, Elena burst out crying. She couldn't take it anymore. Everything that happened was her fault. She felt scared, humiliated and desperate. She had nowhere to go, no one to turn to. If they took her away from Damon, she could kiss her life goodbye. Ironically enough, her master was her saviour.

"This is all my fault," She sobbed.

"No, it isn't," Damon said instantly. "It's mine. Elena, everything that happened is my fault. I shouldn't have bought you. You are not an object. None of you are. This shouldn't have happened…none of it."

She heard sincere remorse in his voice.

"I will fix this, Elena, I promise you," He squeezed her hands. "After this is all over, after I'll make sure that the humans are safe, I will free you like I should've done ages ago." He caressed her hair softly, emotion clogging his throat as he spoke. "I will see to it that the humans are free, that everything goes back to the way it was before. We'll find a way to co-live together. There has to be a way," He assured her. He stood up, his hands under his chin. "I am not forcing you to stay, Elena. If you want to get out of this room right now, I won't stop you. I will let you go," He promised her, "However, I'm begging you to consider staying. Just until I fix things. If you leave, I cannot protect you. The world out there is dangerous. The humans are being rounded up in markets, there's a high chance that if you leave you will be re-kidnapped. At least with me, you will be safe. No one would dare hurt you, not whilst under my protection."

Tears kept flowing down Elena's cheeks.

"I know that what I'm asking of you is not easy," He turned to face her. "I never protected you. I never kept you safe. But I'm willing to do it," He said sincerely, "Only if you want me to." And at that, he left Elena to her thoughts.

* * *

As promised, their clothes were delivered—a silk, pink pyjama for Elena and a high quality material t-shirt and pants for Damon. "You can go to bed," Damon told her, handing her the pyjama. It had a floral scent, it was warm and incredibly soft—just what she needed for a good sleep. "I'll sleep on the couch. I couldn't order a room with two beds because this was the only room that they had left. That or a cheap one," He smiled at her and her lips curled upward slightly. "I'll order breakfast in the morning and I'm taking two days off work, until we figure out what to do."

"_What_ are we going to do, Damon?" Elena asked tiredly. "There's nothing we can do, about anything. If Tyler's gone, then we are hopeless. And Giuseppe is your father. What can you do to such a powerful man?" Damon's knuckles turned white.

"Giuseppe is not my father. He has never been." Not wanting to mention anything about Grayson Gilbert, he quickly added, "I never considered him to be my father. He will pay, Elena. I just need time. For now, all you need to do is rest. You leave the rest to me." Elena nodded her head and disappeared into the bathroom to change.

Meanwhile, Damon attended to his own needs, grabbing the blood-soaked clothes from the plastic bag and throwing them carelessly over the place. After he'd saved Elena, he didn't really care about the clothes, but he knew that he needed to burn them. At least he had been sensible enough to change whilst Elena was unconscious.

He was so angry about everything that he had learnt that he didn't even notice that he was holding the glass so hard until it shattered into pieces.

Elena's voice brought him back to reality. "If you keep breaking their glasses, you will have to pay them back," Elena said with a hint of a smile. Damon looked at her but didn't smile back. At that, Elena's face turned serious.

"There was nothing you could've done," She sighed at last_. Your father wanted to rape me. He would've done it even if you had noticed, _she attempted to say, but the compulsion kicked in_._

"That's not the point, Elena. I should've noticed."

"And then what, Damon_?" It was inevitable. He wanted to hurt me. Even if you managed, he would've waited for the second that I was alone. He would've waited for the second you were at work, or eating a freaking burger at the grill. _She closed her eyes, forcing herself to stay strong.

"He didn't just "hurt you", Elena. I would've killed him."

She winced, trying to open her mouth.

Damon's face saddened. "I will break your compulsion. I just wish that you could tell me everything."

"There was nothing you could've done."

"I could've at least stopped him from doing it the second time…the third time…" His voice became silent as emotion clogged his throat. Snapping his eyes shut, he asked her, "How many times?"

"Damon…"

"How many times were you raped by that monster?"

Once again, the compulsion kicked in.

"It doesn't matter, Damon. Nothing matters. I'm here now."

"How old were you when he put his filthy hands on you?" He roared, grabbing her and pinning her to the wall, his hold on her shoulders unshakeable.

"Tell me!"

"Damon, stop!" Elena cried out, "You're hurting me!"

"Tell me!" He pushed her into the wall, lost in a complete fury. "It doesn't matter…" She said faintly, the tears coming out of her eyes like a waterfall. Her lips were starting to feel like they were sewn together. She couldn't utter a single word. She couldn't really tell him how much it hurt, how much torment she had to endure.

"You can't tell me! You can't tell me because he made you!"

And at that, Damon's legs gave out. He was hugging her waist, letting his tears soak her clothes as he whispered countless apologies. It was the first time that Elena had seen him like that, so submissive. His grip on her was so hard that he was actually hurting her. His cries were so loud that they could break the hardest of hearts.

"I'm so, so sorry," He sobbed over and over, "You didn't deserve this."

The tears kept running down Elena's face but still her fingers found their way through his hair, gently caressing his scalp as he held her. "Shh, Damon…shh," She hushed him, but he only cried louder. He should've been the one to hold her, and yet again she was taking care of him.

"No!" He suddenly got out of her grip and looked at her, his eyes dark with anger. "I don't deserve your forgiveness, Elena." He looked at her with sad eyes, but eyes which were full of determination.

"Damon, please," Elena begged him. "Please just calm down."

"No," Damon wiped his tears with the back of his hand. "You're right. There's no use in crying. But there is one thing that I want you to do for me."

He fell down on his knees in front of her, like he was worshipping a god.

"I want you to punish me."


	33. Chapter 33

**I'm back! I keep promising an update but life always gets in the way. Well, here it is now :D**

**Huge thanks to throughmysoul44 for her help!**

* * *

It was so quiet that Elena could hear her own heartbeat. Time seemed to freeze as she looked at her master, who was kneeling down in front of her. It was ironic, really—her master was **_kneeling. _** **Before _her._**

Her. Elena Gilbert.

A slave. A bloodbag.

Her head cleared when she felt Damon putting something on the floor, by her feet, like a person offering a precious gem to their god. He stepped back, his eyes downcast, waiting for her to do something—anything.

Elena looked down and realized that Damon had given her his leather belt. She stared at it in shock, afraid to even touch it. She was starting to question Damon's sanity, his state of mind.

She had been beaten for a very long time. For years, Giuseppe had used a similar belt to beat her whenever she displeased him, or whenever he felt angry. There was a time when she thought that she'd get used to it, since he used it on her often. However, the pain had only worsened. Eventually, she gave up. She stopped believing. She stopped crying, and simply accepted the beating as if it was a part of her routine, like eating or bathing.

She picked the belt up, feeling the cold leather against her skin. Another memory hit her hard. This time, she was on Giuseppe's bed and he was unbuckling his trousers. She couldn't ever forget the feeling of his belt running up her legs and his disgusting, hard body on her skin. She couldn't ever forget his breath, which stunk of scotch, on her face as he pounded in her fast, with no excuse or apology. It was funny how one little clothing accessory could trigger so many memories.

"I am not going to do it, Damon," She finally said, throwing the belt away from them.

"Elena, I am begging you," He said, his voice sincere. "Please. Do it. I deserve it!" He insisted. "I haven't been there for you. I've never been there for you."

"This is not going to solve anything, Damon," Elena shook her head. "We should focus on getting out of this mess. We have to find out what happened to Tyler's body." She was determined. Hell, if a vampire saw her right now…she'd even be dead. But she figured that if Damon had no problem letting her beat him, he'd have no problem letting her speak to him in that manner. Maybe for once, she could actually call the shots.

"This isn't about solving the problem," Damon pursued. "This is about punishing me. I _want _you to, Elena."

"I won't," She said stubbornly. "Please just stand up. I am exhausted. If you want to do anything for me…then get up." She backed away from him. There was no chance in hell—she was not sadistic.

Damon didn't stand up. "Then you will be calling all the shots, Elena. Anything you want to do, you're free to do. Command me. You're free to make your own decisions. I won't be controlling you any longer."

Elena stopped at that. The idea of freedom, of the right to think and make a decision, was appealing. It was almost surreal. He was giving her a choice; he was giving her a voice.

"I'm serious," He said again, his voice hard.

"You can start by standing up," Elena said softly. "I don't want to punish you, Damon. What I want is to figure out what happened to Tyler's body."

Damon stood up slowly, his eyes full of sincerity. "Then I will do everything in my power to help you do that."

* * *

Damon played with the glass of scotch in his hand. Elena had disappeared into the bathroom a few minutes earlier, and he was left to his thoughts. His father's words couldn't stop haunting him. If he was indeed Grayson Gilbert's son, then Elena would be his half-sister. It couldn't be.

He started to think that maybe that was God's way of punishing him for his sins. He had a stunning jewel living under the same roof, and for years he had tossed it away like a silly old rock.

All his life, he knew that he was different. He had never been like Giuseppe. He had always seen Giuseppe as a monster. He could even remember his mother's stiffness whenever he was near. His mother was kind and gentle; but his father hated her. Maybe it was true, then. Maybe he was a bastard, and that's why Giuseppe hated him so much.

But then again, Giuseppe had always been a sadist. Not just with him, Elena, and Camilla but with everyone, really. He had no respect for anyone behind closed doors. In public, people spoke about him as if he were some kind of god, but Damon knew that this was not the case for the poor prostitutes that he had slept with, or the human slaves owned by Giuseppe's friends.

Damon's thoughts were interrupted when he heard Elena emerging from the bedroom. Her hair was wet, her long, dark curls bouncy. She looked beautiful without even trying. She looked really natural, no make-up on, nothing superficial. His heart broke at the thought that a girl that young—a virgin—had to endure that kind of pain and had her virginity stolen from her by a monster.

Even though her face looked fresh, he could still see the tear-tracks in her eyes and the way she was clutching her body. After everything she had endured that night, he was not surprised that she couldn't sleep even though she was exhausted.

She didn't glance at him and instead headed straight to the bed. Slowly, she laid down, yet she didn't even bother getting under the covers. She just stared at the ceiling, her eyes empty.

In her head, she counted.

Once, twice, three times, ten. Maybe twelve.

Maybe less, maybe more.

She had lost count. She didn't know how many times she was abused sexually or physically. Her memories had become blurred into one word: Pain. She didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Hell, most of the time she wished that she had been drunk when it first happened.

But she hadn't been. She had been very much conscious, so conscious that she could remember every single word, every single offense, and every single touch on her body. She could even remember which part of her he touched first. Even though weeks, if not months, had passed, she could still feel his wet curls on her bare body, his hardened member against her thighs, and his hands pinning hers down.

She wished that she could forget. She wished that he had compelled her to. And the worst part was that there was nothing she could do. She couldn't share her experiences, she couldn't even write them down. It was a burden that she was going to carry by herself forever.

Damon was observing Elena's every movement. Her eyes were empty, her body frail. He walked up to the bed slowly, keeping a big distance between them. It was only then when she looked at him.

"Can I lie down?"

Perhaps it was a stupid question, one that he shouldn't ask. When was she ever given a choice? It wasn't like anything was going to change just because he'd asked her.

She nodded and he laid down next to her.

"Did you see anyone suspicious at the party?" Elena asked him quietly.

"There were a lot of people, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary," Damon replied. "Someone _moved _ Tyler's body," Elena said, almost unable to believe it. "Who would do that? Why didn't they go to the police?"

"There are two possible answers," Damon sighed. "Either someone is trying to help us, or someone is going to blackmail us."

Elena's breath caught in her throat.

"I don't think we should stay here," His eyebrows furrowed. "I can't just disappear. It'll look suspicious. I called the office and told them that I will be taking a few days off work, but we both have to go back soon enough."

Elena was about to protest, but it came to her that he was right. If they disappeared, if they escaped together, it would definitely make them look suspicious. Besides, it wasn't like she could really hide anywhere. Being human, she was confined to that awful town. No human had ever managed to pass through the city gates—at least not without paying terribly for that mistake.

"Is there anyone at work, anyone at all that you could trust?" Elena was afraid to ask this question. Who in their right mind would help Damon and thus risking being considered an accomplice? What Damon had done was wrong and scandalous, at least according to the vampire law. The governor had killed one of their own to protect a human.

"Everyone hates me already for favouring human rights, for bringing you with me to work…" Damon's voice trailed off. "Except Elijah. But we can't trust anyone, Elena. One mistake, and we both could end up dead…or worse."

Elena shuddered. After living within the vampire community for over fourteen years, she knew that there were fates worse than death.

And then, suddenly…She felt Damon's fingers caressing her hand. Her eyes instantly locked with his. It was so soft, so gentle. He softly took her hand and put it up to his mouth, placing a kiss there.

"Damon," She said, not really knowing why.

He placed a kiss on each finger, mouthing countless apologies.

Feeling the need to be comforted, even after everything that happened, she scooted closer to him. Her face buried in his chest and he held on to her for dear life, caressing her, comforting her. She sobbed, and her tears were like ice cubes on Damon's skin.

And it was then that Damon swore a vendetta against his father. He was going to kill him. He never thought that he'd come to that, but now he had decided. He was going to plan his own father's murder, and then he was going to free the slaves. He wanted to start a rebellion, and that was what he was going to do. He needed to work carefully and he needed her to trust him.

"I'll make them pay," He promised her sleeping body. "I swear."

* * *

"Breakfast for two, and new towels," The housekeeper said on their third day, handing them a plate of carefully laid toast and a variety of rich pastries.

Damon thanked her, turned the television on and sat around the table. Elena smiled at him as he handed her the plate, but her appetite wasn't large. She hadn't been eating enough, despite Damon's efforts.

She bit into her toast slowly, almost like she was made to, and fixed her attention on the television. It was the daily morning news, and she didn't usually care a lot about it because it was often political. But what caught her eye was one of the headlines.

Local Teenager still missing, it read.

"Oh my God, Damon!" Elena exclaimed. "It's on the news!"

She quickly turned the volume up; and before Damon could ask what was going on, she heard the tv presenter call out Tyler's name.

"Last seen three days ago," The woman was mumbling, "If you have any information that you would like to share, please call on…"

"It's Tyler, he's reported missing," Elena gasped, "The police are looking everywhere!"

Damon was not surprised. He was expecting it, especially since Tyler's family was quite possessive. He could imagine Tyler's mom calling the police and paying their finest detectives.

"What are we going to do, Damon? What if they find out that it was you?"

"They won't," He promised her.

"You can't promise that!" Elena said angrily. "They are requesting more surveillance and more action from the Governor. That's _you, _Damon. What if they get too close?"

"Let them, there isn't anything which could link the case to me. They want a speech, action…I'll fucking give them that." He put his jacket on. "Pack up. We are leaving."

"Where are we going? Damon, please…"

"I'm going to take action," Damon said simply.

"I'm going to do what I should have done ages ago."

* * *

A/N: I have to admit, there was a time when I was really giving up on fanfiction. But now, I am really interested and intrigued, so if you guys are still willing to read...I'm willing to write!

Thanks for your feedback


	34. Chapter 34

**And, here we go! Another update. Happy weekend!**

**Huge thanks to throughmysoul44 for her help!**

* * *

"Damon, you are not making any sense!" Elena exclaimed as he started to roughly pack their suitcases, using his vampire speed to search around the room.

"We can't leave, not like this." She tried to talk some sense into him, but he wasn't listening.

"Where is your jacket?" He asked, ignoring her completely.

"Damon!" She raised her voice a little, forcing him to look at her. "Please just stop and tell me what you have in mind."

"I'm going to do it, Elena," He told her at last, "I'm going to go out there and I'm going to make it official."

"Make what official?"

"All of this!" Damon raised his hand as if he was looking for something to point at. "All of **_this _**is wrong, Elena. I'm going to make it illegal. No more slaves, no more torture. No humans in this town unless they are willing to stay."

For moments, Elena allowed herself to fantasize about what this meant. No more pain. No more suffering. She could even see her family again. But when the fantasy faded, she knew that this wasn't possible.

"You know you can't. Do you think they will just let you 'create' a new law? They will throw you out. Even kill you."

"I'm the governor, for Christ's sake!"

"Yes, a governor who still needs approval from the Board, and who has Stefan Von Swartzchild watching his every movement!"

Damon looked at her at that.

"What? Didn't think I noticed?" Elena said, "I know that Stefan's father wants his son to be the governor. What if he makes it happen? What if they use this against you? They will, Damon. And you won't have anyone's support because no vampire is going to side with you."

She said all of this with a sad tone, but it was the truth. Who in their right mind would side with Damon's proposal? Certainly not the masters who spent thousands on their slaves. Certainly not the ones who valued vampirism over everything else.

"Then I will offer an incentive…" Damon muttered, "There must be something that we can do."

"Right now, we just have to solve the problem at hand," Elena insisted.

"Why are you acting like this, Elena? I thought that you'd be happy."

"I'm being realistic, Damon. I would love to see all the humans freed, and that's why we have to be careful. I don't want to see them dead."

Damon sighed and finally sat down on the bed. "I'm powerless. All these titles and names, and still I can't do anything without asking for permission."

"It is not your fault, Damon. We'll find a way."

"There has to be a way, something that the masters need," Damon tried to reason. "An incentive, something better than a human slave." He paced around the room, trying hard to think. But even as he was doing so, he knew deep down that it went beyond money and incentives. Some vampires wanted slaves to control them, to feel superior—because they love to be feared. And there was nothing that he could offer that would satisfy that pride.

"Even if it works," Elena reminded him, "You still need the Board's approval."

"Then I'll come up with something to satisfy their needs as well," Damon sighed. "The question is what. What could they possibly want?"

"This isn't a decision that you can make now," Elena reasoned. "We need to solve our Tyler problem. You need to go back to work. That seems like the best option."

"I'm not leaving you alone with Giuseppe," Damon said firmly. "But yes, I do agree. We have to get out of here and get back to our normal lives until I figure out what to do. But I swear it on my beloved mother's grave, Elena, that I will find a way to free everyone. And then, it will be your choice." He took her hand in his. "If, after all of this is over, you want to run for the hills and never look back, I will understand."

He gave her hands a gentle squeeze and turned away from her without giving her the chance to speak.

* * *

They had been sitting in the car for hours and it was dead silent. Damon's eyes were fixed on the road as he drove fast, whilst Elena was looking out through the window, trying to figure out where they were.

A few minutes later, she spoke. "I won't run."

"Excuse me?" Damon asked, turning to face her.

"Even after this is all over, I won't run," She replied, looking at her hands which were folded in her lap.

He looked at her, his eyes full of hope.

"I will go looking for my family," She clarified, "But then I will come back. This time as your…" She struggled to find the correct term, but then she remembered. "Girlfriend," She finished.

Damon's eyes lit up, but her innocence still pierced his heart like a dagger. How could he ever taint so much purity? How could she still want him? It was obvious that this girl either loved too much and forgave easily, or she was sick and what she was feeling for him was not love, rather it was Stockholm Syndrome.

"I would love that," He said simply. He didn't have the courage to say anything else.

Smiling at her, Damon finally stopped the car in front of a small but lovely cottage. It was, in all honesty, the middle of nowhere but it seemed pleasant.

"Where are we?" Elena asked him, a bit confused.

He used his vampire speed to open the car door for her. "I'll tell you in a moment."

Taking Elena's hand, he led her towards the three small steps that lead to the wooden cottage. The back garden was full of flowers and it was very well-kept and taken care of. There was a small pond as well, and a couple of apple trees.

"This is beautiful," Elena gasped in awe.

"This is my second home," Damon finally announced, turning to face Elena. "I bought it a few years ago. I used to come here a lot, after nights out with my friends." _And when I felt too ashamed to face you._

He moved closer to her and cupped her face. "I promised you, Elena. Even though I do have to go back to work and pretend that everything's normal, I won't let you live with that monster any longer."

Elena smiled at him, a warm, genuine smile. A tear fell on her cheek as she uttered a thank you, and allowed him to lead her to what would be her safe haven.

* * *

Elena had never seen such beauty before. Even though she did live in the Salvatore mansion, which was luxurious and very modern, she never really thought of it as beautiful. According to Elena, stuff didn't make a place beautiful. She had too many terrible memories there, and everything seemed superficial. On the other hand, this cottage was simple, natural. They had all the things to make their lives comfortable, but there were no riches, nothing too elaborate. Almost everything was made of wood and it was starting to remind her of the treehouses she played in as a child.

"This is going to be your bedroom," Damon said as he opened a large oak door, revealing an averaged sized room decorated with simple, yet lovely furniture. There was a double bed with silk sheets, a mirror and a four door wardrobe, and a little nightstand. There weren't a lot of ornaments and the curtains were plain white, but everything looked perfect.

"My room is next door, I will let you settle down," He added a bit awkwardly. "I'll get you clothes and other necessities, but you will have to bear with me until we settle down."

"It doesn't matter, Damon," Elena smiled. "All that matters is that I'm away from him."

* * *

About two days passed, and both Damon and Elena went back to the normal routine. In the office, everything seemed normal. Damon had a lot of paper work to do, new laws were being created, and the days quickly became shorter. But still, in his heart and mind Damon kept thinking of only two things: Tyler, and keeping Elena safe.

There had been no words about Tyler and for minutes he'd allow himself to think that it never happened. He had managed to control his fear. But whenever he looked at Elena, all he could feel was fear. She was still badly treated at work, and he could hear the mean and sexual comments all day. He was thankful that Elena didn't have supernatural hearing, or she would have been horrified.

He was having no such luck in trying to think about what incentives he could offer, and he was growing really frustrated. He had made it his life's mission to do right by Elena, but in reality he was alone. That fact was driving him insane.

"Oh my God!"

Damon was brought back to reality when he heard the chaos in the second office, the one where Elena worked. Almost flying off his seat, his eyes fixed on the television screen, or to be precise—The figure on the screen.

"It's Tyler!" Someone gasped, "He's missing!"

When he heard the name, his breath caught in his throat. He could feel Elena looking at him, he could feel the sweat forming on his forehead, and he had to put his hands in his pockets to hide the fact that they were shaking. Even though he had been expecting this, it was still worrying. If everyone was out there looking for Tyler, it only served to the mess more complicated.

"Please, help me find my son…" The woman on the television was pleading.

At that moment, Damon's head started to spin. Unable to do anything else, he turned away and walked towards his office, unaware that Elena's eyes weren't the only pair of eyes watching him.

* * *

Later that evening, neither Damon nor Elena had an idea of what to say. Damon had never felt so helpless. He felt like he was watching a tsunami and helplessly waiting for the waves to swallow him. Soon enough, the police were going to find evidence, and then he'd be arrested and Elena would be sold again on the slave market, or worse, sold back to Giuseppe.

Even as he cooked dinner for Elena and sucked on a bloodbag, he couldn't really focus. And just before they were both about to eat, there was a knock on the door.

"That's strange," Damon raised his eyebrows. "I wasn't expecting anyone."

"Don't answer it," Elena whispered, her heart beating fast against her chest.

Damon actually considered it for a second, but even if he didn't, if it were the police they would just simply break the door down. Taking a deep breath, he opened the door and stood frozen when he saw a familiar face.

Elijah.

"Elijah…" Damon stammered. "What are you doing here?"

Elijah took a step forward and moved so that Damon could see his car trunk.

"I think we need to talk…" He said as Damon's gaze turned to a look of horror.

* * *

**So, Damon and Elena are in a bit of a difficult place right now. They are both trying to act normal-as in, keeping the same routine. However, Damon has now taken her to live in his second home, just to get her away from Giuseppe. Obviously, he is not an idiot. He knows that Giuseppe might still have a vendetta against them and that he could easily find them whenever he wanted to, so that is also a problem that Damon can't quite solve. At the same time, Elena is developing feelings for Damon, but it is up to you to decide if they are real feelings, Stockholm Syndrome or if she's simply developing feelings for him because he's trying to do right by her NOW, after all this time.**

**Thank you for your awesome reviews!**


	35. Chapter 35

**Enjoy this chapter!**

**Thank you to Throughmysoul44 for being the first to read and to help with my writer's block. You rock!**

* * *

Damon had never been the kind of vampire who could be shocked easily. In fact, over the years and after a long and stressful job experience, he learnt that he could pretty much expect anything from those people surrounding him. From a young age, he had had to deal with his friend's death, then stand idly by as his mother was verbally and physically abused and then watch Elena suffer the same fate. Whether it was cowardice or lack of assertiveness Damon had let bad things happen around him and nothing surprised him. He had learnt to expect the worst from everyone. Maybe except Elena, because Elena was…well, different.

It wasn't that he didn't feel. Of course, he felt for his mother. He had wanted to take care of her, to rid her of Giuseppe. He knew that what his father did to her was wrong. And it was the same with Elena. He felt for her, but he never had the courage to help her. He wasn't as strong as the papers made him out to be. Or at least, he _hadn't been_ strong.

As all of these memories rushed through Damon's head, the black haired vampire couldn't understand how at that moment, he was shocked. For the first time in his life, something that he wasn't expecting had happened. Elijah was staring at him, the car trunk was open, and Elena was still inside. Nothing was being said, but the look on Damon's face said it all.

"You're confused," Elijah offered.

At that, Damon snapped back to reality. "Confused?" He asked, "Of course I'm confused, Elijah. There's a dead body in your car."

"Tyler's dead body," Elijah clarified, a smug smile in place. It was weird, Elijah didn't do smug smiles.

"What the fuck is going on?"

"I thought you'd be happier, Damon. You should really just loosen up a little." Elijah took out a handkerchief, folded it neatly and then put it in his back pocket. His actions were so smooth, smart, typical of a noble family. It was well known that Elijah's family was noble, pure Mikaelson blood, and their family was quite popular. Rich, smart, well educated…Name it, and you'll find that every vampire in the Mikaelson family had at least one of those traits. People often asked why Elijah had never contested for governance. His answer had always been quite simple: He didn't want to. For him, power was not important. All that mattered was family.

Damon stared at him, his patience wearing thin. He had a thousand questions, he wanted to laugh and cheer, but at the same time he was scared. He had no idea what Elijah's intentions were.

"Are you going to invite me in, or are we going to talk here next to a dead body?" Elijah asked simply.

"D-Damon, what's g-going on?"

Damon heard Elena's voice. She was standing on the doorway, hugging her arms. From where she was, Damon could tell that she could see Tyler's dead body. Like him, confusion was written all over her face.

"The lovely Elena," Elijah greeted her. "Damon Salvatore's reason to exist."

"Come in," Damon interrupted. "Tell me what all of this is about."

Elijah nodded his head and followed Damon inside. Elena didn't fail to notice how Elijah was calm and collected. He even stopped for a few minutes to appreciate Salvador Dali's _Persistence of memory _which hung on the wall, the first thing that you could see when you found yourself in the large hallway.

"Great painting. The meaning and the thought after it is amaz-"

"Cut the crap, Elijah," Damon snapped. "I need answers."

Elijah's face darkened. "You shouldn't speak to me like this, after I ridded you of a huge problem."

He walked towards the sofa and instructed _them _to sit. He wiped his hands and his back straightened. "I killed Tyler. I know about what he tried to do to Elena."

"What are you saying?"

"You know fully well what I'm saying, Damon. I was at the party. Let's just say that I saw the entire incident. I was going to intervene myself before you took the matter into your hands." He sighed. "But then I realized that after all, you were capable of doing it. Your position didn't stop you from killing for the woman you love. I think that it's heroic, yet stupid at the same time."

He took out a cigarette and lit it up. "Unfortunately you left the body there. That was where I had to intervene."

"Why would you do that?" Elena asked hesitantly.

"Let's just say that I condemn abuse of power," Elijah said shortly, and then added, "Let's also say that I would like Damon to continue to govern. And he couldn't do that if he was in jail now, could he?"

"Why does it make a difference?"

"Because I hate seeing people who don't know shit about politics trying to rule this race," He blurted out. The way he said it was so different than the typical Elijah's rules of formal spoken English. "The Board is just a bunch of babies trying to act all tough because they found a golden pacifier. It doesn't make sense. The Mikaelson family might not be involved in politics anymore, but we lead this race for a long time. I don't want to see it going to waste."

"And you think that I'm the best person to lead?"

"Let's just say that I agree with a lot of your ideas," Elijah said without giving a lot of details. "And that I need us to work together."

"What do you have in mind?"

"I already told you, I don't want babies running our city, our kind," Elijah said firmly. "And I'm going to do what it takes to improve our situation. Whatever it takes," He said. "And I expect you to be on board."

He looked at Elena. "Both of you."

"I don't want her to be involved," Damon interrupted. "She stays out of this."

"You know what, governor Damon. By killing Tyler, I risked my position, my nobility. But I didn't do this for nothing. I want something in return. I don't want to have to resort to blackmail. But from now on, you will work for me."

"This is not the way you speak to your governor!"

"Stop it, little boy. You and I both know that I'm three times older than you, that my family is important. We have power. The Board exists because we started it. And just like we started it, we can be the ones to end it."

"Your ancestors did," Damon reminded him. "You weren't even speaking to your family at that time."

"You know your history," Elijah commented. "That doesn't matter. We need each other's help. You owe me more than that, if you ask me."

Damon looked at the young girl next to him, who was clearly scared. He knew that Elijah could keep them both safe. He had cleared out the evidence. He had saved them. What scared Damon was the fact that he owed him. He had no idea what that meant, and he didn't know when and how Elijah would come back to collect.

"Fine," He finally said. "But I need your word that nothing is going to happen, that Tyler's body is destroyed as well as any other evidence."

"I already took care of all of that," Elijah reassured him. "Soon enough, you can both forget that this ever happened."

"Good," Damon nodded his head. "And you have my word that I will support your cause, whatever it might be. You will have me by your side."

Elijah smiled. "That's what I wanted to hear." He then turned to Elena, who hadn't spoken a word the entire time. "I can do one more thing for you," He told her.

"What?" She asked timidly.

"I can get information about your family," He said. "I can find out how they are doing. Maybe even deliver a letter or take you to see them."

"You can't do that. I'm not allowed to cross the town border."

"I know that," Elijah replied, "But they can. I have contacts, Elena. If I say 'blink', people will blink. I'm still respectable. Just because I now work in the office doesn't mean that people forgot about my family's lineage. You'd be surprised how fast people bend over when you mention the Mikaelson's name."

He sighed. "All I want in return is your word that you'll be on board with whatever Damon and I decide. That's all I ask."

Elena looked at Damon, who was listening to every word Elijah was saying.

"Think about it," Elijah told her, and then he turned to Damon. "I need to speak to you, Damon. Man to man."

Half heartedly Damon looked at Elena and she understood him immediately. It was no use complaining, it was obvious that Elijah was going to tell Damon something that they didn't want her to know. A part of her felt relieved. Ignorance is, after all, bliss.

Elijah waited for Elena to disappear before taking out another cigarette. He offered one to Damon who refused, and then he sat down.

"Is there anything else I should know about the lovely Elena Gilbert?"

Damon's face fell. He got up and poured himself a drink, drank it in a second, and then gave Elijah another glass. If Elijah was going to help them, he wanted him to know that Tyler hadn't been their only enemy. "My father," He finally blurted out. "It turns out that Elena has been sexually abused by him. It happened in front of my eyes and yet I was blind."

"And you are here in this house to protect her from your father?" He asked.

"Yes. It's better than living under the same roof," Damon reasoned. "But I also know that if Giuseppe wants to find us, he will. People know him. He'll figure out where we are staying in a second."

"What if I offered you another alternative?" Elijah set the glass down. "To help protect Elena?"

"I'm listening," Damon said urgently.

"Then I should probably start from the beginning," Elijah looked at Damon, his face serious. Damon suddenly felt very uncomfortable, it was like something inside of him was screaming at him to be prepared for what Elijah was about to say.

"Over the past few months, I have been involved in a project with other towns. As I said, my family knows other people and we are quite pissed that our leaders are nothing but cowards. With all of this death and slave markets, vampires have seemed to forget that even though we are _indeed _the stronger species, we need humans to survive."

Damon looked at him, his face blank.

"Which means that if we keep killing, soon enough there will be no more slaves in this town. The humans are taking precautions, Damon. They know about our existence, they know that we steal their children during the night. They know that we break our so called truce often and they are going to fight. Which means," Elijah added, "That if we need this town to survive, we need to get more humans."

He lit up a cigarette again. "You know that I am against violence against humans. I think it's unnecessary, and it's only putting our race in danger. I also disagree with kidnapping more humans. But we can't change what happened. Instead, I proposed a different idea."

"And what is this idea?"

"We have come up with a drug that enables males to impregnate human females," He spoke slowly but casually. "It's being given for free and most owners love this idea. They are getting more slaves without paying a dollar. In the meantime, we are increasing our supply without risking our lives and obviously, without having to resort to kidnapping."

For a moment, Damon's mouth hung open. He half expected Elijah to start laughing and tell him that he wasn't being serious, that he was drunk, but nothing happened. He failed to understand how someone 'honourable' found this to be okay.

"And you're okay with this?" Damon asked, his voice tinged with disgust and shocked. "You are funding this?"

"Females are being used anyway, at least we are getting something out of it," Elijah said casually. "Admit it, Damon. There's nothing you can do for the slaves. It's going to be the same. The new stock of humans comes every week, the rich bet, and the females are taken and raped. At least, this way we are preventing kidnappings. We can limit the amount of humans brought here and you can help me introduce this drug."

"What we are doing is letting vampires become more violent!" Damon's teeth were clenched together, his hands closed in fists. "It's bad enough that these slaves are abused, now they have to carry a child they don't want?"

"It is what it is," The other said casually. "And if you want me to help you, then you have to do as I say."

Damon didn't know what to say. He was too shocked to think straight. But Elijah didn't let him process.

"Tyler had the pill in his system when he attempted to rape Elena," He blurted out without warning. "He wanted to get her pregnant. Why, I have no idea. Probably sadism, because Tyler didn't really need another slave. I saved Elena from that. You owe me."

Elijah poured a drink. "I can keep Elena safe. Anything you want, I can do. I can get you house help, someone to take care of Elena whilst you're at work. I can take her to a safe house. I will do these things, but only if I have your cooperation. Your support, your funds."

Elijah's face showed that he wasn't going to take 'no' for an answer. "This will be mandatory. You're going to go out there and you're going to make sure that every human slave is impregnated by her master. I don't care it's by artificial insemination or sexual intercourse, but it must happen."

"How is any of this acceptable?" Damon asked. He genuinely wasn't able to understand. "How can you try to turn this into a good thing? We both know that you're doing this for yourself."

"Would you rather let people kidnap mercilessly? Five hundred humans were brought in last week. Two hundred are already dead. We can set higher prices for slaves and change the laws regarding the importation. Vampires will soon realise that the pill is more beneficial. They will learn to love it."

"And the women end up pregnant one year in, one year out!"

"It's a small price we need to pay for the greater good."

"There's no greater good. We should be talking about freeing everyone."

"You'd risk war. Do you think that anyone would trust you after that? Imagine an owner who has invested millions in slaves. You can't just do that." His face turned serious. "I'm offering you my help, Damon, but I'm quite demanding yours."

His voice became dangerously low. "We have been working on this project for a long time. I won't let anyone stop this."

"And let's say I agree," Damon replied, "How are you going to assure me that Elena will be safe?"

"Elena can't get out of the town, the borders don't allow her to do that. But it is because she is technically still listed as a slave. Correct me if I'm wrong, but she is legally Giuseppe's slave, right?"

"No. He handed her over to me."

"That is perfect!" Elijah responded. "You are her legal owner. And as her owner, you can set her free. She will be able to pass through the town's border without any problems whatsoever. And this is where I come in." He exhaled the smoke. "As I already said, I have a lot of contacts. I also happen to own a house far away from here, but nearby enough for you to visit once a while. I usually use this house for holidays, but I do have some slaves there. I am willing to offer Elena a place to stay to keep her away from Giuseppe, at least until you and I figure out how to get rid of the Board."

"It won't work," Damon said without even fully considering Elijah's words, "My father has a lot of people working for him. The second Elena crosses that town border, the entire street will know."

"You are forgetting one thing, Damon," Elijah sighed. "I don't blame you, since you don't really know anything about my family. Yes, we have been out of the picture for a long time. Politically, that is. But we still have supporters, people who would gladly risk their own lives for us. Not to mention that most people owe us. I can keep her safe. Everything will be carefully planned out and she will be well taken care of. My people keep their word. They live by a code of honour, and if I tell them that the girl isn't to be touched then no one will put a finger on her."

For a moment, Damon paused. Elijah was right, Damon didn't really know the Mikaelson family. They had been out of the picture for centuries. He only knew Elijah as the assistant who worked at his office. Sure, he remembered his father mentioning the Mikaelson family and stating that vampires owe their modern lives to them. Apparently, it was Elijah's family who lead the town and made it what it was centuries before. It was also the Mikaelson family who offered the necessary funds to get all the vervain out of the town's system.

"Why were you out of the picture?" He suddenly asked.

Elijah's face hardened. "That's another story. One that you don't need to know." He stood up. "You've got your history books and your internet. If you want more information about my family's nobility and contribution, you can simply do some research. I am a man of my word, Damon. If we make a deal, I will keep it."

Damon sighed. "I will think about it. But one thing I know for sure is that I will be forever grateful for protecting us."

"I will take care of the body right now," Elijah promised. "Nothing, no one will ever link Tyler with you." He sipped the last drop of his scotch. "When you decide, you know where to find me. But deep down you know that I am your best chance. Your father will come for her again, and when he does, you will blame yourself."

* * *

For long, painful minutes Damon sat down on the sofa, contemplating everything Elijah had said. Elijah was right—he knew that it was the best thing to do. He needed to get his father away from Elena, but he also needed time to think and plan. And he couldn't really do that whilst fearing for Elena's safety. She was holding him back. He needed to be away from her, he needed to be able to think straight. He also needed to know that no one would ever touch her again.

With the Board, his father and Stefan Von Swartzchild watching him like a hawk, as well as thousands of human's deaths on his hands, Damon was feeling overwhelmed. A part of him wanted to kill everyone in the Board, take Elena and run. Another part wanted to stay and fight, fight for justice. But how could he do that when he had no support from his people? Who would support a cause that would somehow 'lessen' the vampires' way of life?

Elijah's deal had scared him. He knew that if he agreed, he'd be responsible for more abuse on the poor girls unfortunate enough to be sold at that town. On the other hand, if he didn't do it, he had nothing. He was just a boy with a title. That's all.

Another side of him, however asked a very important question. Was he even ready to send Elena away, to leave her in Elijah's hands? Was he, after all, ready to trust Elijah to help them?

His thoughts ran back to her. If he were to send her away, what would become of him? He couldn't really live without her. He needed to stay with her as much as he needed to be away from her. Without her, he'd go insane, yet with her, his mind wouldn't be able to think straight.

_You are being selfish, Damon, _he thought.

_But no, I really can protect her, _the other voice said. _You don't need Elijah to do that._

_It's your pride talking, Damon. It's going to get Elena killed, _another voice joined in.

And then another thought popped in his mind. If he accepted Elijah's deal, he'd be able to ask Elijah about setting _him _free. He could run away with Elena. She didn't have to do this on her own. He wouldn't need to leave her in Elijah's hands. He could get him to get _them _both the hell out of that god forsaken town. It was so easy, but only if he accepted.

_Every human slave must be impregnated by her master. _Those words echoed in his head. He imagined an angelic face like Elena's, carrying a child. He imagined a fifty year-old monster forcing himself on her. He couldn't be a part of that.

"Damon?"

He saw Elena in the hallway. She was looking at him with an unreadable expression on her face. When he looked at her, he felt his heart ache. He had never really thought about what all of this looked like from her point of view. He had never really imagined the pain she must've felt when his father stole her innocence, or when she heard those around her referring to her as an object. He never really thought about how it must've felt when she was kidnapped at the age of nine and brought in a cart into a town where everyone hated her, or when she was publicly auctioned, or when he took her home with him for the first time.

She walked towards him and for a while, they didn't say anything. They just looked at each other. Two broken souls.

"I heard you and Elijah talking about sending me away," She finally admitted, looking away from his gaze.

Damon shifted in discomfort. His voice was sad as he said, "You heard that?"

Elena nodded and sat down on the couch next to him. "I don't want to go."

"Why is that?" He turned to face her. He noticed a tear running down her cheek.

"You promised me, Damon. You said that I can count on you, that you will be here for me. You owe me this much. And now you are considering leaving me in the hands of another vampire?"

"He can keep you safe, Elena. Better than I can. I can't leave this town. Everyone will look for us, all around the world. But you…you can leave."

"You can come with me, Damon. We can go looking for my family. I have relatives who might be still alive. There are other human towns which are safe. I just want you to be a part of it, I want you to come with me. This is why I came back many years ago, Damon!"

She wiped away her tears. "I was free, Damon. My uncle had managed to save me from this town. I had met my family after longing to do so. But I came back, I came back for you. And it's because I came back that all of this happened. My family will accept you. I know that they will."

"Elena, you don't even know what you are saying," Damon said, heartbroken. "A vampire in a human town? Those humans lucky enough who stayed locked in towns must be packed with bombs and weapons against my kind. They will kill me the second they'll see me with you."

"I have been a human in a vampire town for more than six years, Damon," She reminded him. "We can work this out. You can leave everything behind and we'll run away together. I have to find out what happened to my uncle and my other relatives. I need this, Damon…but I need all of this to happen with you by my side."

"It's dangerous. Who I am, my position…People will never stop looking for us. I can be executed for failing to do my duty. The safest thing to do would be for you to accept Elijah's offer. I trust him, Elena. I know that it's difficult, but I think that he has the power to take you far away from here. It will only be temporary, I promise. But I need time to get rid of my father, and to get rid of the Board. Elijah is willing to help me. For the first time, I have someone who is on my side. Maybe we can finally end this violence and we'll call a truce before it's too late. I can't do all of this while dealing with your safety."

"There is another way, and you know it," Elena sobbed.

Damon reached out to hesitantly touch her cheek. His thumb stroked the tears away from her eyes. "I have always put my needs in front of your own. Now it's time that I stop being a coward and give you the safety you deserve."

He leaned towards her, and ever so gently, he put a kiss on her forehead. His gaze lingered on her face, on her lips. God, he wanted to kiss her so badly. He wanted to wrap her up in his arms, he wanted to love her…But he couldn't. Not when she had been violated so many times.

Not when she could be his sister.

Yes, there was still that. He had tried not to put a lot of thought to it, but somehow it was there. The fact that Elena could be his half sister was still there. Yet he had no idea what to say, how to bring the subject up. He had been in denial. He had almost convinced himself that Giuseppe was lying, that he just wanted to hurt him. But what if it was true?

But somehow, as he was lost in this thoughts, Elena had moved closer to him. Her hands was holding on to his for dear life and then she threw her body at his chest, and she just laid there, sobbing. He couldn't not hug her to him, he couldn't not kiss her beautiful face. His body was exploding with the love he felt for this young girl.

And when his face leaned closer to hers, he realized that there was nothing he could do.

He gently leaned in and placed a kiss on the corner of her mouth. When she didn't hesitate, he gave her a small peck on her lips. Sure, they had kissed before; but he didn't want to rush her.

"I want to kiss you…" Elena cried. She really did, but she needed to make sure that he wouldn't touch her. That she couldn't take.

"I'm all yours, Elena," He told her gently, and at that, she grabbed his hands and held them in hers, as she granted him permission. He kissed her gently, lovingly, treating her as if she was made of glass. He didn't dare to use his tongue. He just let her lead him.

And when she pulled away, she was smiling.

* * *

**Recap:**

**-Elijah has been taking part of a new system in which a pill was created. This pill allows vampires to impregnate human females.**

**-Elijah knows that war could be coming. It is getting more difficult to kidnap humans and he knows that someday, these humans are going to fight. He also thinks that since human females are being abused anyway, they 'might as well' make the most of it and obtain something in return from the masters.**

**-Elijah offered Damon his help, and in return he wanted Damon to fund his research (regarding the pill)as well as his help in making the pill mandatory. This pill will be beneficial to lots of owners, because in this way, the owners are getting 'free' slaves through pregnancy. This minimizes the risks associated with kidnapping humans whilst giving the owners what they need.**

**-Damon knows that this system is wrong, and that he'd be responsible for all unwanted pregnancies and sexual abuse. Yet, he also knows that he needs Elijah's help to keep Elena safe, so he is faced with a tough decision.**

**Thank you for reading and reviewing, especially to a guest reviewer who reviewed the entire story early on this week.**


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